


The Imbalance of Pixie Hollow

by The_Darker_Side_ofThings



Category: Disney Fairies
Genre: Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, F/M, Fights, Major Original Character(s), Pixie Hollow, Poison
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23271883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Darker_Side_ofThings/pseuds/The_Darker_Side_ofThings
Summary: With life, there is death. The Outerlands are ruled by a powerful king named Everlance, who stayed out of touch with Pixie Hollow for many years. When King Everlance dies from unknown causes, his heir, Prince Thresh, feels weak, alone, angered and confused from the sudden kingship. To hide his emotions, Thresh vows to take over all of Pixie Hollow and to become the ultimate overlord, targeting Lord Milori first. Thresh's mindset changes to violent as Milori refuses to hand over his land to Thresh, and Lord Milori vanishes without a trace leaving Queen Clarion worried. Her problems worsen as Pixie Hollow becomes the next target, leaving Tinkerbell and her friends to find Lord Milori and stop what is destroying Pixie Hollow.
Relationships: Clarion/Milori (Disney Fairies), Terence/Tinker Bell (Disney Fairies)
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Pixie Hollow was standing mystically in the morning light, the golden splendor of the sunrise was causing the Pixie Dust tree to glow more vigorously than it would in the daylight, pixie dust flowing through the bark. Red leaves were fluttering in the air as fairies were busy doing their jobs, their wings bending with the wind as they flew to where they needed to be. Fairies were still waking up from their nighttime slumbers while the rest were eating breakfast or working. It was a lovely sight to see, and pixie dust trailed through the air with the leaves that tumbled in the wind as fairies flew around with their tasks. Queen Clarion looked down upon her land with a faintly pleased smile; all was going well in Pixie Hollow.  
Pixie Hollow was a stark contrast to the outer side of Queen Clarion’s land, where the other fairies, or pixies, lived, the ones not born of laughter but of crying and pain. In their areas, they controlled the death of the forest, their beauty in decomposition, death, and poisonous plants. They took their jobs just as seriously as the fairies took theirs. The death of the forest balanced life, it returned the losses back to the land for a new life to begin. They did not hate Pixie Hollow, for Pixie Hollow was the counterbalance of Outer Lands, they simply worked with what they had.  
However, the King of the Outer Lands was starting to grow sick, his scratchy wings were lowering every day, and his black beetle eyes were losing the shine that reflected his love and humor. He was laying on a piece of rotten bark, a high honor for any pixie as finding a piece of bark that would not break was extremely hard to find. Surrounding the royal family were guards in insect armor, they all had their eyes trained on the king. No one else was allowed inside, but outside the tree stump were all the others from the Outer Lands. They all had plants and tributes and were waiting with red, tear-stained eyes.  
As time passed, the king’s laughter was harder to hear as his sickness progressed, while his firm steps and erect pose started to wither like an old rose. His heir, however, was not yet ready to become the king just yet, but just how life moves, no one is ultimately ready for unexpected events. Prince Thresh knelt over his father, tears building themselves up and threatening to fall.  
“Please,” Thresh begged, his voice cracking as he could not bear to look into his father figure’s eyes. “You are more of a king than I will ever be.”  
They both knew it, but Thresh never wanted to admit it to anyone else. Declaring it was telling others he was weak, especially after the death of someone who raised him. He could not cower in self-pity, he needed to stand firm. However, he did not agree with how soft his father figure could be at times, allowing an occasional fairy to pass through the lands, despite their own inability to do the same. The pixies could only watch the birds of Pixie Hollow fly by, unable to join them. Very rarely, a snowy owl from the winter woods would pass overhead, hunting.  
That only angered Prince Thresh. He longed to join the fairies, but they were banned from Pixie Hollow to prevent any mishaps during the fairies' work to give life. Anything dying a horrible death of rot and decay in minutes by a pixie would be frowned upon by Queen Clarion. But the fairies could join the pixies if they wanted, bringing flowers or plants to grow, which King Everlance enjoyed. Thresh would grind his teeth in the corner, watching a garden fairy show her skills by producing a healthy plant right before the king’s very eyes. The king would plant it, and bid the garden fairy ado. Thresh would rot the plant when the king wasn’t looking, seeing his own beauty in death.  
“Only from experience,” The king coughed. “You will grow to become a strong king. You are already a strong warrior.”  
With a small smile, the king’s eyes glazed over, and his smile faded with his breath, King Thresh placed his hand on his father figure's chest. He stood up slowly and walked from the room, unable to stay with the one who taught him everything.  
“Leave me,” he choked out as he heard the shifting of armor as the guards were patiently waiting for instructions. Warm tears were flowing down his cheeks, and he did not wipe them away. “I want to be alone.”  
He walked up small mushrooms that made a set of stairs and emerged from the roof of the stump. Below him, he could hear the mourning of his citizens, shivering as he knew that they were his now. His father would no longer give advice or help in tough decisions, it was all on Thresh now. He hugged his knees and looked upward into the sky, fighting the urge to lose all dignity and bawl like an infant. Thresh stared at a star to focus on anything aside from his burning eyes and convulsing lungs. The one star he stared at was rather bright; it might actually have been a planet. The stars all disappeared as a large bird blocked out the stars for a second, and Thresh watched the outline of a gorgeous snowy owl glide silently overhead. He knew what he should do and hurried back inside while hatching a plan. He looked at the king and wiped his tears.  
“Don’t worry,” Thresh whispered. “I know what to do.”  
He walked towards a royal Pixie who was wiping her face from tears.  
“Listen to me,” he commanded, and she stood fully, staring at him.  
“Fly to the Mainlands, and wait there. You will know what to do when the time comes. I’ll send instructions via a large crow. He’ll know where you are. Good luck.”  
She nodded and flew out of the log. She assisted the late King Everlance, and Prince Thresh trusted her with the most classified of missions. He stared at the king.  
The night sky was quiet, listening to the mournful cries of those he served.  
\-----CH. 1

The snowy owls glided through the air, hooting softly. Sled, the fastest fairy in Lord Milori's assistance, was whizzing through the freezing winter air like a knife. Periwinkle, Gliss, and Spike watched him pass and quickly took flight, struggling to reach his pace.  
"What's wrong, Sled?" Peri asked, her wings beating intensely to keep up.  
"Nothing is wrong, well, for now," Sled replied, clutching a crisp, dry leaf.  
Gliss gasped, eyeing it.  
"Is that from the Outer Lands?" She looked amazed and shocked. "What do they want?"  
Sled nodded, his eyes focused ahead on the wintery spire. "I guess we'll find out."  
They flew to the front, landing on the snow and entering the frozen castle.  
"Lord Milori!" Sled called out, running down toward the Lord of Winter, holding out the leaf. Lord Milori turned to the speaker, a look of mild curiosity was on his face as his eyes traveled to the sheet. Sled handed it over hurriedly, his posture straight and alert as Lord Milori read it.  
'Dear Lord of Winter,  
I have come with grave news that King Everlance has died. I have become the new king of the Outer Lands, and my land is small. I come to you for a treaty proposal. I am offering to become your ally, Lord Milori. Our lands can become one, and together they can expand to become a new, fresh home. You only rule one season, where I too also rule one providence. Together, not only will we have more land, but we will also have more power. Take time to think this over, as I will be arriving sooner than you think.  
-King Thresh'

Lord Milori's eyes narrowed at the last line, it sounded more like an empty threat rather than a business deal. He stared in thought before deciding to speak.  
"Thank you, Sled, you are dismissed."  
With a nod, Sled walked out of the castle before flying away.  
\---  
Tinkerbell was busy hammering a button wheel into the side of a cart, Clank and Bobble were busy holding it up. Clank was lifting it with his knees, his fingertips firmly clutched to the underside of the wagon while Bobble was pushing his whole back into it. Their stark contrast made Tinkerbell smile softly to herself as she hammed the wheel in.  
With a dull thud of the hammer hitting the ground, Tinkerbell sat up, wiping her forehead.  
"That should hold it! Bobble, see if it goes forward when Clank pushes it. I want to make sure it doesn't pop off again."  
With a strain, Clank pushed the cart with slight difficulty, it rocked a little before rolling forward. He then eased as the momentum helped him push the cart, which moved forward.  
"Thanks, Tink!" Bobble grinned as he hovered over to Tinkerbell's side, who was standing up and stretching her back.  
"No problem! The rope we used was chafing against the axle, but with a Lost Thing, I was able to keep it shielded."  
She smiled at her friends before a large shadow swooped over the fairies. Not a second later, the warning horn blared. Hawks.  
"Take cover!" Clank called, as he and Bobble slid under a large leaf and hugged each other while staring up ahead at the massive bird of prey. Tinkerbell quickly sided in between them, watching her fellow fairies scamper to hide. Fawn was busy coaxing mice to stay in one place, rather than running for it. Iridessa and Rossetta hurried into a small tree nook, disappearing behind a bark door. Bunnies and skunks dove into hollow stumps, but the hawks were faster. With a squeak, a rabbit was grasped in the cold talons and picked up into the air.  
"Silvia! No!" Fawn called, running into the open to hopelessly reach for her furry friend. It was futile, and Fawn felt tears forming in her eyes as she could hear the screams of terror coming from the bunny. The shrieks eventually vanished into the forest, and Fawn slowed, crying. The one hawk got its meal, but the rest were famished. Gigantic birds swooped to and fro around Pixie Hollow, chasing fairies with a keen eye.  
Fawn gasped as she knew the all too familiar whistle of the wind created by air dashing through talons, and the sound was directly behind her and approaching fast. Adrenaline shot through Fawn's body, and she jumped into the air, her wings beating frantically to outfly her pursuer. Her body left a trail of gold followed by a large hawk, terrified fairies watched with wide eyes, and those brave enough flew out to attack the hawk to hopefully discourage the bird. They threw stones, sticks, and berries. Light fairies bent the rays of the sun to blind the falcon, but the bird was too fast for the light to catch its eye long enough, and other hungry hawks were swooping in. Iridessa, who braved herself to help, was more focused on freeing her friend, and before she could fly to her own safety, she was caught in the merciless talons of a hawk.  
"Help!" Iridessa shrieked over and over, watching her home blur past as she was unable to free herself. The hawk faltered and shrieked, flapping furiously in place before releasing Iridessa, who managed to catch herself in the air, hovering before slowly lowering herself to the ground. Nyx had commanded one of her archers to shoot the bird in the eye, causing it to flee before blindly landing far off in the forest. Nyx herself was fighting another bird of prey in a bargain for Fawn's life. The bird was relentless, refusing to open its claws to swipe at Nyx, who was nimbly dodging the wicked sharp beak. She used her porcupine spear to stab at the soft neck of the bird, who was caught between flying off and ridding itself of the painful nuisance. Eventually, it had enough and released Fawn to strike at the scout, who dodged and thrust her spear right into the downy leg of the bird. It screeched, Nyx whistled, and arrows shot through the air and stuck into the feathery hide. It retreated, chirping loudly and vanishing into the woods. The others followed, woodland arrows and spines embedded in their skin.  
"Is everyone all right?" Nyx asked as she hovered to the ground with her stern look, twirling her spear before sheathing it onto her back. Iridessa nodded, shivering and hugging an equally traumatized Fawn.  
Clank and Bobble hurried from their hiding spot to help anyone or anything, but Tinkerbell stayed back; an odd, coppery smell caught her attention. She followed the scent and found a dead plant. It did not die on its own terms, it was still wet inside from a vain attempt to survive, but the outer flesh had rotted into a moldy black membrane. Fruit flies were feasting on it, and the sour smell made Tinkerbell’s stomach churn.  
"Odd…" Tinkerbell whispered, reaching to the dead plant. She thought twice, picked up a twig, and pried it. The stem broke like rotten tomato skin and oozed out tainted water, which gave a putrid odor. "This didn't die naturally."  
She flew off to find her loyal and well-groomed friend, Rosetta.  
In a small hollow of a tree, shaken fairies were slowly drifting out to fix any repairs to their homes, Rosetta was helping a sparrow man collect seeds that had fallen out of his basket.  
"Rosetta!" Tinkerbell called out while running over; she was too close to fly. Rosetta looked up, a small, black seed was in her hands.  
"Something wrong, Tink?"  
"I need you to see something," Tinkerbell said hastily, a bit out of breath as she had not had to run in a long time. "You might be able to help."  
"Alright, I'll see it, sugar," Rosetta soothed as she set the seeds in the sparrow man's basket. "Guide me to it, then."  
The two fairies hovered over to the leaf Clank, Bobble, and Tinkerbell were hiding in. Tinkerbell gasped, the dead plant seemed to spread whatever was killing it to another tall plant with broad, loose leaves. However, it too was covered in black, mildew and rotten skin and drooping while they stared at it. Rosetta gasped, fanning herself.  
"Disgusting!"  
"What is it?" Tinkerbell asked, hopeful.  
"Never seen it," Rosetta said, leaning over the poor plant. "But it might be recorded in the library."  
Together, they zipped to the library, the wind singing in their ears as the air hummed past. Iridessa and Fawn saw them and flew over to catch up.  
"What's wrong, Tink?" I asked, noticing the direction they were taking.  
"We saw plant rot," Rosetta said, a twinge of disgust in her face.  
Fawn waved to Vidia, who was helping blow the trails free of hawk feathers. She gave them a look and arched an eyebrow. They flew into the library, Rosetta and Tinkerbell immediately started to search for every plant book there was to offer.  
"Silvermist?" Fawn asked, sounding a bit surprised. "What are you doing here?"  
Silvermist was standing next to Scribble, who was busy handing her books on water.  
"I found some weird taint in the river," Silvermist said in a not-too-concerned voice. Instead, she sounded just like her bubbly and kind self. "I was hoping Scribble could help me in researching it. None of the fish, tadpoles, or bugs go near it."  
"We found the same thing, but in the plants. We saw only two so far, but it can spread." Tinkerbell said seriously. "We got to find out something about it."  
The sun drifted through the sky as the girls researched, accompanied by Scribble, who gave and put back the books, occasionally giving advice.  
"I can't find anything," Tinkerbell sighed, leaning back as she threw her hands up in frustration, which turned into a much-needed stretch.  
"I think I might have something," Silvermist grinned, holding up a small pocketbook that looked reasonably worn. "It says here that pixies have a talent for death and decay, while fairies give life and health. But Queen Clarion had decreed that pixies must stay out of Pixie Hollow, for fear they may upset the balance of nature. The risk of upsetting one season can put everything out of balance, after all, remember the freeze that nearly destroyed everything from one small error?"  
The other fairies nodded in agreement.  
"It does make sense," Vidia said, arms crossed while she leaned against the doorway watching the group.  
Everyone turned and smiled at Vidia.  
"Vidia! Good to see you!"  
"I'm sure it is," Vidia responded. "Well, why are you all still here? We need to tell Queen Clarion. Pixies are not allowed in Pixie Hollow."  
"But if it's called Pixie Hollow, why aren't pixies allowed in it?" Silvermist asked, genuine curiosity in her soft voice. The rest nodded silently and looked at each other.  
"She has a point," Rosetta agreed.  
Vidia rolled her eyes.  
"There are more important things at hand here."  
"She's right, we need to tell the queen," Fawn said. "As soon as we can."  
Vidia took the lead, passing everyone in a blur, while the rest had to catch up.  
In the Pixie Tree, the ministers, Queen Clarion and Lord Milori were grouping together for a meeting. Lord Milori's owl was perched on a branch outside and hooted impatiently at the girls as they zoomed into the tree. Fawn gave the owl a brief wave, and he clicked his beak while staring ahead.  
"We'll spread out, the sooner we can find and tell Queen Clarion, the better!"  
"Queen Clarion! Queen Clarion!" Tinkerbell ran inside to the more intimate rooms, ones that were used for Queen Clarion's lodging or private meetings. Tinkerbell, respectively, sped walked down the hall, her chest high as she felt proud of delivering such information.  
"Queen Clarion-oof!" Tinkerbell bumped into a tall sparrow man, he stumbled a bit at his back was to her, and turned around to eye the fairy. He was tall, a bit more pale than a warm fairy, and had an outfit of dried leaves and a vine belt. He reminded Tink of the Minister of Autumn, and she thought he was for a quick second. This sparrow man was wearing top and bottoms as opposed to the robes the Minister wore.  
"I'm sorry," Tinkerbell apologized, walking around him while still facing him. "Wasn't paying attention."  
He smiled politely.  
"It's quite alright, fairy," he addressed, clasping his hands together slowly. "I am figuring out where to go as well."  
She smiled back, confused, but hurried on her way. She had never seen him before, and he admitted that he did not know where to go. She would have to figure it out after she spoke with Queen Clarion.  
"Queen Clarion!" Tinkerbell burst into the room, her smile freezing as the Ministers of the Seasons were there. They all turned to face her with mild surprise. The Minister of Spring jumped when she did so and shot her a glare before looking at Queen Clarion. Lord Milori flicked his eyes towards Tinkerbell then to Queen Clarion, then settled his gaze on Tinkerbell. If she had something urgent to say, they might as well hear it now.  
"Tinkerbell?" Queen Clarion asked, a slight annoyance in her voice. "We are in the middle of a crucial meeting."  
"Yes," The Minister of Spring entered. "Very important. Now, let us be."  
"But-" Tinkerbell interjected.  
Queen Clarion opened her mouth to speak, but Tinkerbell spoke first.  
"Pixie Hollow has rot inside!"  
They went silent. Queen Clarion sighed without a sound and walked to the table where they all were sitting. Tinkerbell followed curiously, her eyes widening. There was a rotted sapling which looked like it was deflating as the water trapped inside was slowly dripping out from a pinprick puncture. It gave a sour, stale smell.  
"Does this look familiar, Tinkerbell?" Queen Clarion asked gently. Tinkerbell nodded.  
"It can infect the water, too."  
The Minister of the Seasons gave concerned glances, Lord Milori stayed focused on Tinkerbell.  
"Water?" Queen Clarion raised her eyebrows.  
The door burst open, and the Minister of Spring jumped again before glaring at Fawn, Vidia, and Iridessa, who ran in, out of breath.  
"Queen Clarion! Two animals got sick from drinking the lake water! And one…" Fawn's bottom lip trembled, and her composure was close to falling. To save her dignity, Iridessa allowed Fawn to stand back and spoke on her friend's behalf.  
"Queen Clarion, something is wrong. We believe pixies are trying to enter Pixie Hollow."  
Lord Milori frowned, pondering something in silence. Queen Clarion looked at them.  
"But why is it named Pixie Hollow if-" Silvermist began.  
"They know it is forbidden to enter our lands," Queen Clarion said with an urgent tone.  
"We will help find them and escort them out." Vidia waved her hand. "I'll tell the scouts to be on the lookout."  
"Thank you, Vidia," Queen Clarion spoke gently. "We need them to go as soon as possible."  
The fairies nodded and slowly left the room.  
"We will spread this information in our seasons," The Minister of Winter said. Lord Milori nodded, and the other ministers did so as well. The meeting was adjourned, and the ministers left, the Minister of Winter looked at Lord Milori, and he gave her a wave of dismissal. She nodded once and flew to her rightful Season. Lord Milori and Queen Clarion looked at each other, nodded politely with small smiles, and Lord Milori left the room. 

"Go tell your talent fairies," Tinkerbell commanded, feeling more cheerful as they all were walking down the hallway. "The sooner we all go looking, the better."  
Tinkerbell's friends flew from the tree into the dying night sky, trails of fairy dust trailing behind them. Tinkerbell was still inside the tree, sauntering as she had an inkling that she needed to tell someone something. As she turned the corner and saw the sparrow man she encountered earlier, the jolt of remembrance hit her. She forgot to say to Queen Clarion of him. She turned around to retrace her steps before bumping into Lord Milori's chest. She immediately felt chilled from his cold aura that all Winter fairies had, and smelled the crisp pine forest the quick seconds her face collided with his body. It reminded her of ice skating with Periwinkle and felt a tug of wanting to see her sister again.  
"Oh!" She retreated, blushing and bowing slightly. "Excuse me, Lord Milori!"  
"Never mind that, now," He said. He continued to walk ahead to the unknown sparrow man. Tinkerbell turned the corner to leave and could feel that she was being watched, disappearing around the corner but stopped right outside the wall. She walked in place, making her footsteps fade as if she was walking away while rubbing her nose to warm it back up. She pressed herself against the wall to listen in, curiosity getting the better of her. She did not like knowing she was eavesdropping on the Lord of Winter, but the sparrow man intrigued her.  
"King Thresh," Lord Milori announced in a low voice.  
"Lord Milori," King Thresh answered.  
"Pixies are forbidden in Pixie Hollow," Lord Milori said in his regular voice. Tinkerbell couldn't find a trace of anger or worry. Instead, her eyebrows raised as who she thought was a sparrow man was indeed a pixie.  
"I'm well aware," King Thresh responded. "I won't stay long. Have you thought about my letter?"  
"I have."  
"And?"  
"I will reject your offer."  
"What?"  
"I have no need for another ally."  
"But Milori! You are missing out on a deal!"  
Tinkerbell scrunched her nose, she did not like King Thresh's informality.  
"I see no deal."  
"We both get more land, and we can show Pixie Hollow that pixies and fairies can live together in harmony!"  
"Your work is already killing Pixie Hollow. I suggest we keep to ourselves."  
"But the power we can control!"  
"I have enough power for what I own. I do not need more."  
"Queen Clarion owns three seasons. You have one! You have so little power!"  
"What I do and do not possess is not for you. Go back to your own land, pixie. Our meeting is over."  
King Thresh sputtered. Judging the sounds, Lord Milori was walking away.  
"Come back here, you cowardice fairy!"  
The footsteps stopped. Tinkerbell held her breath. To call a sparrow man a fairy was an insult below the belt in Pixie Hollow. It was like walking to a grown man and maliciously calling him a little girl, and to the Lord of Winter, that was almost equivalent to calling Her Majesty a vulgar name and throwing garbage at her face. No one would even think of doing that. Not only that, but the male pixie ignored the Lord of Winter's title entirely.  
Milori growled, and Tinkerbell could hear it. Swift, confident footsteps were growing louder then stopped, presumably in front of King Thresh.  
"Clearly, you are missing a few things in the ruling of a king. You may have just become a dictator, but you need to learn much more to even be half the king your father figure was."  
It was too silent, and Tinkerbell had to cover her nose to prevent them from hearing her breath. It was apparent King Thresh was thinking of what to say.  
"Go home, pixie." Lord Milori spoke stonily, and the room was quiet.  
King Thresh started to storm away, and Tinkerbell heard his footsteps retreating. She leaned away from the wall and digested what she heard. King Thresh wanted Lord Milori to ally with him? Obviously, Lord Milori declined, and King Thresh did not like that. Hopefully, Pixie Hollow would not have to suffer for that. She heard footsteps heading her way, and Tinkerbell slunk down the hallway the quickest she could without making a sound. She made sure she was out of his view before she heard a "Yah!" and the flutter of bird wings.  
Tinkerbell decided to call it a night, flying to her house and replaying what she heard over and over again.  
\---

Tinkerbell awoke with the songbirds chirping their songs, but they sounded more mournful. She hurried outside to see a few dead songbirds being carted into a thin tree where healing and animal fairies were having an autopsy on the bodies. Tinkerbell flew to the river in panic. She could see water talent fairies doing their best to guide the animals away from the clearly poisoned part of the river. Dying plants were rotting horribly, swollen with water as they tried to function as they could, but their outside could not comply as the rot took over, forcing the plant to continually work on the inside but die on the outside. Eventually, the skin would be completely rotted, a thin membrane that tears from its own weakness, causing the water that had nowhere to go to build up inside the stem and grow and fester, causing the toxic taint to spread through the musty water. The liquid would ooze out, contaminating everything around it.  
Silvermist was doing her best along with other water talent fairies to keep the water from spreading. Tinkerbell noticed some fish were belly side up.  
"Hey, Silvermist!" Tinkerbell called out. Silvermist waved back, her ditzy charm was lacking. She looked tired along with the other water talent fairies working with her. Tinkerbell flew over to Silvermist's side, who was busy siphoning the poisoned water into large wooden bowls. Sweat was beading on her forehead and dripping down her pink face.  
"Hey, Tink," Silvermist gasped, sweating as she forced the water to comply with her. "I don't know what's going on, but we have to drink from special water reserves."  
"Oh," Tinkerbell eyed the dead fish. "And the animals?"  
"Upstream. We're going to have to ask Tinker’s Nook to construct a wall, something to prevent animals from drinking in this spot.  
"Say no more," Tinkerbell said, Silvermistiling solemnly. "We'll make sure no fairies die from this."  
Silvermist's face fell, and she did not meet Tink’s eyes with her own. Tinkerbell looked shocked.  
"Queen Clarion is going to address Pixie Hollow today."  
Tinkerbell nodded, queasy now. She was thankful she did not have breakfast.  
"I think I might visit Peri. Update her on this."  
Silvermist nodded and continued to work.  
Tinkerbell hurried to the Winter Season, immediately catching the eye of a border guard sitting on the bridge, who was busy fiddling with a gadget. It looked tiny, cubed, and had many movable parts. Tinkerbell wanted to ask what it was but decided to let it be.  
"Hi! Tinkerbell here, um, do you know where Periwinkle might be, by chance?"  
"Periwinkle? Not sure." He shook his head. "Open your coat, please."  
"Why?"  
"Lord Milori's orders. He decided to make sure no one is bringing any poison, either on purpose or accidentally."  
It sounded perfectly logical, and Tink shed her cozy green jacket and did a slow spin.  
"Accidental?"  
"Hm?" He scanned her, noticing nothing dangerous, and nodded.  
"How could you accidentally bring something so dangerous?"  
She slipped her coat back on, gingerly allowing her wings to move through two slits she made when modifying her outfit.  
"Easy framing. You swap someone's water pouch with something poisonous or slip in a vial when no one is looking. People will see you with it and automatically assume you are planning to kill someone. Lord Milori is fair, though, he does not suspect Pixie Hollow is trying to poison itself, and if you do have something we overlooked, he will hear you out."  
"Wow," Tinkerbell didn't know what else to say but took note at how the Winter Season was doing what it could to stay safe. He frosted her wings, and Tinkerbell felt the warmth surrounding them. She smiled; it was like slipping into a warm house with the fireplace on after walking in the snow in summer's clothes. "Thank you!"  
"Mhm."  
She flew off, eyes scanning for Periwinkle. She remembered the faint scent of winter pine when she bumped into Lord Milori and closed her eyes while breathing in. Her nostrils burned from the cold, but she could smell the crisp pine leaves if she focused hard enough; she was too far from the trees to accurately detect them. Opening her eyes back up, she saw Periwinkle, Gliss, and Spike standing together.  
"Periwinkle!" Tinkerbell called out before landing, panting. Her breath vanished in puffs of cloud, and her cheeks burned a bright pink. But she looked thrilled.  
"Tink?" Periwinkle asked, looking at her sister with curiosity. Gliss clapped happily as Peri's and Tink's wings were shimmering.  
"Hey, Peri!" Tink said briskly. "I wanted to say hi!"  
The two sisters hugged, smiling.  
"That is all?" Periwinkle asked, laughing.  
"Well, I also hatched a little plan in my mind."  
"Uh, oh," fairies mumbled.  
"A plan? Let's hear it!"  
"Someone is poisoning our river, and it's making everyone sick. Only one fairy died."  
A lot of Tinkerbell's joy faded when saying this. Peri and her friend's eyes lowered in respectful silence.  
"If you can freeze the water, we can take the poisoned parts away!"  
Peri looked up, thinking it through.  
"We can use the new snowmaker to give you ice. Not only that, but Silvermist and some water talent fairies can use the water to create snow."  
"That could work," Periwinkle agreed, nodding slowly still.  
"I'm in!" Gliss declared, knocking her fist into an open palm.  
"Same," Spike said with less enthusiasm. "Whatever keeps everyone safe."  
"We can ask Vidia to use her winds to push the ice out of the water."  
The group started walking back, Tinkerbell taking the lead.  
"That reminds me," Tink said, stopping. The guard on the bridge looked up from his cube, still fiddling with it. He made a tiny intake of breath and pulled his hand away. A little red dot slowly swelled. "I'll get Clank and Bobble to bring the snowmaker over here. Bring some ice!"  
She waved to her friends, feeling a bit bad for the guard who was sucking his finger.  
\---

"Clank! Bobble!" Tinkerbell was flying around Pixie Hollow, looking around. "Clank! Bob-" She saw the snowmaker and smiled, pulling it out of the corner.  
"You needed us, Tink?" Bobble asked, flying over while holding an armful of long poles.  
"Yes," I need you to help me move this and create some ice."  
"The Winter fairies are coming over?" Clank asked from the other room, holding a much larger bundle of poles.  
"For a short while, yes," Tinkerbell said, nodding. "They can help us clear the lake from the poison."  
"Clank?"  
"Yes, Miss Bell?"  
"I need you to help the talent fairies to get the largest, watertight basket you can make."

He hurried away, while Bobble and Tink used Pixie Dust to cover the snowmaker, lifting it from the ground and down the path to the Winter Season.  
"Hey, Tink!"  
Tinkerbell looked over. It was Fawn.  
"Yes, Fawn?"  
"Need any help? Cheese can help pull it."  
The gray mouse nuzzled Fawn's side.  
"Now that you mention it…"  
\---

"You alright?"  
"Me?"  
Periwinkle and her friends nodded. The border guard was looking paler.  
"I feel fine, why?" He looked up from where he was sitting.  
"You look flushed," Peri said, concerned.  
"Probably just been idle for too long," the guard replied, setting his box down and stretching before cracking his back and yawning. "My shift ends in an hour."  
"Well, be sure to get some rest."  
"There they are!" Gliss pointed to the snowmaker being pulled by Cheese, while Tinkerbell and Bobble were at the sides. In no time, the machine captured the ice, slid it close, and Bobble started pedaling away, creating a much larger snowing radius with some improvements that were added a few seasons ago. They all waved goodbye to the guard who waved back and traveled to the river. Peri and her friends gasped, seeing the dying plants at the river, while the water talent fairies were busy purifying it the best they could.  
"Silvermist!" Tinkerbell waved her down. She looked exhausted and was panting.  
"I see you brought company," Silvermist chirped, but her smile vanished as soon as it came as she breathed heavily.  
"Hear this out," Tinkerbell started.  
"Miss Bell!" Clank called, using a large wagon to pull a massive clay pot. "I got something! Compliments to the sun fairies! They dried it in time!"  
Tinkerbell beamed. The pot could hold at least ten fairies, and judging Clank's strain against the rope, it would not be easy to pull.  
"Perfect! Thank you, Clank!"  
"What's that for? Silvermist asked. Water talent fairies and Silvermist watched without stopping their work.  
"Peri, Gliss, and Spike can freeze the poison and carry it to the basket. From there, we can take the basket far away and viola! No more bad water!"  
A few fairies nodded, relieved to have another solution. Others were skeptical but did not have another option.  
"Well, let's get to it!" Gliss chimed, careful not to touch the tainted water, which had an oily sheen, started to freeze it into a giant ice chunk. More concentrated areas had a dark tint to it, making it easier to see, the water talent fairies were tackling the problem efficiently.  
"Say, Silvermist," Tink said to her exhausted friend. "Do you mind filling the air around the Winter fairies with lots of water? You know, like to help Iridessa make rainbows."  
"Oh, yeah! Watch this!"  
The water talent fairy, careful to select only clean water, lifted it into the air right above the Winter fairies.  
"Now, Peri!"  
Periwinkle shot her hands up, freezing the water and making it snow heavily on top of them. A pile of snow quickly collected at their feet. Silvermist gathered enough water to form into a cloud, and hovered over the Winter fairies, making it rain. Again, Periwinkle shot her hands to the sky, striking the cloud and making the rain turn into snow.  
The basket was filling, and the river looked cleaner before the horns announced Queen Clarion's speech.  
"Queen Clarion! I forgot she was going to speak today!" Tinkerbell flew over onto the land area where a crowd had already formed, while Periwinkle and her friends took as much snow as they could, along with the snowmaker keeping them cold.  
Queen Clarion was watching all of them from the Pixie Dust Tree.  
"My fairies," she started. Tinkerbell noticed a shadow moving in the tree. She thought it was Terence or Fairy Gary, but her heart skipped a little seeing Terence in the crowd. Fairy Gary was in the distance. "It is with grave news I bring that two fairies have died from poisoning." There was a solemn murmur through the crowd. "Many animals have gotten sick and died, and our healing talent fairies are doing their best to keep ours healthy and alive. Do not take water from the river, we have created our own personal reserve right here in the tree, carefully chosen, and examined by our water talent fairies. Tinkerbell now realized why the water talent fairies were on the brink of collapsing from exhaustion; they had to carry and purify along with carefully checking every drop of water transported to the Tree.  
Tinkerbell walked to her sister and pointed to the brief shadow movement in the tree. Peri did not think much of it.  
"It could just be a guard," She countered.  
"Or a potential enemy."  
"It could just be a Minister of the Seasons, Tink."  
"It might not be."  
"It could be Lord Milori."  
"Maybe it isn't."  
"Probably Nyx patrolling."  
"She's over there."  
Periwinkle sighed.  
"Tinkerbell, it's not wise to- Tink?"  
Tinkerbell was walking through the crowd, behind a tree to avoid any suspicion. Periwinkle hurried along, scooping a large amount of snow and coating her wings before frosting it, keeping the cold inside. It would not last long due to the warmth in Pixie Hollow, but it would do.  
"Tink!" Peri hissed, following not soon after. "What are you doing?"  
"Making sure the queen is safe!"  
Tinkerbell flew to behind the Pixie Dust Tree, the voices of the fairies fading into the distance, Tink could hear Queen Clarion addressing the crowd. She flew to where the Pixie Dust was gathered, landing on the level where Queen Clarion was. Periwinkle was right behind her.  
"We really should leave this alone," Periwinkle hissed again, worried. "That's what the guards do. Keep the queen safe."  
"It's ok, Peri," Tink reassured. "It's not like we're doing anything bad, like going to kill- Lord Milori!"  
"Wha-" Tink grabbed her sister and pressed themselves against the wall.  
"Sh!" Tinkerbell pointed upward. On a tree branch, Lord Milori was walking over with a scowl. He had seen their movement and was walking down to their level. Tinkerbell ushered Periwinkle into a doorway that leads to the inside of the tree, quickly closing it behind them.  
"Who is there?" Lord Milori asked, his voice closer.  
"Tink!" Peri whispered. "You're making this worse!"  
"I didn't know he was going to be here!" Tink whispered back, running down the hall. Why was she running? They weren't doing anything illegal or malicious. "We should turn back. You were right."  
Peri nodded but grabbed Tink's arm and stopped her. There was another shadow on the opposite side of the hall.  
"Lord Milori?"  
Tink knew the voice. It was King Thresh. Her stomach knotted, and she ran to the nearest door, shoved her sister in, and toppled inside unceremoniously before shutting the door. She did not need to have Lord Milori find out that two fairies were running away from him and were listening in on their conversation.  
"Tink!" Peri violently whispered, sitting herself up and rubbing her elbow. Tinkerbell untangled herself as well and sat up, hugging her knees.  
"Sh!" Tink whispered back. "Just stay quiet!"  
"Why?"  
"Because we will be in so much trouble if Lord Milori found us here, especially with King Thresh."  
"King Thresh?"  
"The new king of the Outer Lands. His father recently died, and he wants Lord Milori to become his ally."  
Periwinkle silently gasped and jumped when hearing the door in the hallway entrance. Lord Milori was walking down the hall that Periwinkle and Tinkerbell were in not seconds after.  
"Don't worry,” Tinkerbell reassured. “Lord Milori said no, and King Thresh seemed really annoyed, but… I don't know why he is back here again."  
They stared at each other like scared children in the dark. Which, in a sense, they were.  
"Lord Milori!" King Thresh announced.  
"King Thresh," Lord Milori answered. "I saw someone down here. Did not suspect you to be here."  
"As I did not with you. Why are you here?"  
"I am listening to Queen Clarion speak about the deaths of fairies from the poison you have caused."  
"Me? I can assure you I have not tainted anything here."  
"Then, I will personally find who is and seek punishment that fits."  
"I believe you rule the Winter season only, Milori. You are too weak to handle more than one responsibility."  
Both sisters tensed.  
“Lord Milori is not weak,” Peri hissed, not daring to raise her voice while she glared at the door.  
"Go home, King Thresh. You are not welcome here or in Winter."  
There was silence, and King Thresh spoke up.  
"Yes, yes, I know I cannot be here. But I want this treaty between us."  
"What do you want to corrupt to gain a sense of power?"  
Periwinkle pressed her ear to the door.  
"It's not corruption! It's work to keep the balance with life!"  
"Then leave Pixie Hollow alone."  
"I will once you side with me."  
"Then what?"  
"Then you and I can become the greatest rulers of all time! Cold and death, we will be beautiful together!"  
"Your work killed fairies and animals alike. As the Lord of Winter, I hereby ban you from all of the Winter Season."  
"No! Think it over!"  
"I command you to remove the poison from Pixie Hollow and stay forever where you belong."  
"I will not."  
Lord Milori growled.  
"Do not make this harder than needed."  
"Just join me, Milori, and we will become the strongest force of nature!"  
"Go."  
There was a growl, but not a deep, irritated vibration of one who could control his anger. This one was young, wild, and fierce in anger and young with fire. Periwinkle pulled her ear from the door, glancing her wings to make sure the frost was still coating them. Tinkerbell was looking at her wings as well, and they both jumped when Lord Milori barked.  
"No!"  
A deep scratch struck across the wall, Lord Milori was running over, and King Thresh laughed.  
"See my power! You will regret not siding with me! Fight against me and die!"  
Lord Milori's running footsteps went silent, then two loud grunts and two bodies crashed to the floor.  
"Take away the poison! Now!"  
"I will if you become my ally!"  
There was the sound of scuffling, and Tink pushed the door open ever so slightly; a sliver of light shone in the small room. Peri leaned on Tink's shoulders to peek too, her cold hands giving Tink goosebumps.  
Lord Milori was pinning King Thresh, straddling his stomach and using his hands to keep the king's arms stuck to his sides. Both their backs were to the fairies as Thresh was trying to free his hands.  
"Remove the poison, or you will suffer the consequences."  
"The poison in Pixie Hollow is not my doing."  
"Do you wish to die prematurely?"  
"I just want to be on your side, Lord Milori."  
"Then, you are doing everything wrong to convince me."  
"Alright," King Thresh gave in. "I'll remove the poison."  
"All of it."  
"Yes, yes, all of it."  
Lord Milori stood up, glaring down at the rising king. Outside, everyone was applauding. The queen must have finished her speech.  
King Thresh walked to a black spot in the wall of the tree, already bark was peeling away in black, mildewy shavings. Pixie Dust that flowed through naturally slowed down, eventually stopping at where the rot was. It had nowhere to go, and slowly was beginning to dam up inside the tree. Tinkerbell gave a look of pity at the tree; it was only trying to do its job.  
King Thresh raised his hand, and Tinkerbell's eyes grew wide, seeing long, black, shiny claws instead of fingernails. He faced the rot on the wall, and stuck his wicked claws into the tree, causing Tinkerbell to flinch. Peri pulled her back as Tink's small actions made the door move slightly. Lord Milori didn't seem to notice, his back was still to them while he watched King Thresh lull the poison back into his hand. The rot started to fade, draining slowly as the poison under the bark was getting Pixie Hollow siphoned out. It was very satisfying, the abscess of poison drained to be replaced with what was originally there. The dammed-up Pixie Dust started to flow through again like a river getting unblocked.  
"Consider this a favor," King Thresh spoke calmly.  
"I consider this nothing until you go home and stay there."  
King Thresh bowed, and Lord Milori narrowed his eyes. King Thresh walked away down the hall, Lord Milori watched him leave before walking down his side of the hallway. He needed to tell the guards that King Thresh was becoming a more significant threat, and showed no signs of relenting his works. With Pixie Hollow in so much danger, Queen Clarion must be informed and ban all pixies from her seasons.  
"Lord Milori, look out!"  
Lord Milori turned around to see Tink reaching for him from a door he had not noticed, and Thresh flying straight towards him with his poisonous hand outstretched.


	2. Chapter 2-  Periwinkle's Sacrifice

Thresh was right in front of the door as Tinkerbell cried out, she and her sister tumbled out with wide eyes and spilled onto the floor. Thresh saw them so close to where he was and gave Lord Milori a cruel grin and spun with his claws raking down at Tink’s skin. She closed her eyes and braced herself to be gashed with the infliction of poison. Lord Milori was running over, shouting at Thresh, his mind registering everything at once.

“No!” He and Periwinkle cried out at the same time, fear filled Tinkerbell as she saw the intimidating form of king Thresh standing over them. Peri, who was behind Tink, sat up and wrapped herself over her sister protectively, whispering something in a quick, scared tone. It happened too fast; Tinkerbell felt a cold body press itself against her, and the spray of blood splashed onto her face, but no pain.  
Her eyes shot open, and her face paled. Thresh stood over them with his claws, Periwinkle’s shoulder was lacerated with four deep gashes, the fifth one was not as deep as the rest, but it was bleeding horribly. 

“Peri!” Tink gasped. Periwinkle’s eyes were wide and scared, staring at her sister with a flurry of emotions, fear, panic, joy, confusion, guilt, worry, hope. She did not hear what Milori had shouted, but she watched the lord slam Thresh into the wall, who fought back, trying to claw at his target like a trapped and angered animal. Lord Milori held Thresh’s wrists, preventing the king from inflicting any poison, but Thresh was kicking hard into Milori’s abdomen in an attempt to break free.

“Stay with me,” Peri whispered. Tinkerbell held her sister’s head, ignoring the cold discomforting her arm muscles. 

“Always.”

“Take Periwinkle to the healing fairies, now!” Lord Milori barked at Tink, who clutched Peri close, fear constricting her heart and making a lump form in her throat.   
Tink nodded mutely, scooping Per up bridal style and running out of the tree, not glancing back as she could hear the two males fighting like wild dogs. She opened her wings as prepared to fly, but her stomach churned as she heard the dull thunk of something sharp stabbing into skin and the gasp of pain. Lord Milori needed help, and Tink was the only one to help. She felt her feet shift in confusion.

“Go! Tink!” 

She leaped off the ledge and flew as fast as her body allowed. She started to shiver, a combination of the cold emitting off of Peri and the nervousness and anxiety flipping inside her stomach, battling over which was stronger. She did not blame Lord Milori for his behavior aimed at her. After all, his own citizen took the full brunt of an assassination meant for him.   
Peri trembled; blood was traveling down her arm and dripping off of her elbow. She was silent, but her eyes were begging Tink to stay with her. Tinkerbell wanted to cry since she felt scared, and her heart was pounding in her chest and into her ears. Her wings fluttered quickly as she flew straight to the healing sector of Pixie Hollow, breathing heavily. 

“Tink! We were looking for you!” Iridessa called over, the crowd was gone from the foot of the tree. Terence was flying over, catching Tinkerbell’s eye. 

“Help me!” Tink cried, her voice getting caught in her throat and cracking.

Iredessa gasped and put her hands to her mouth, seeing the blood leaking out of her shoulder. Terence flew right to Tink’s side before zooming ahead to the healing fairies. By the time Tinkerbell flew over, there was a room ready for her. Fairies all stepped aside, and two healing fairies were standing next to a bed. Tinkerbell rushed over, setting her sister gently onto the bed. Blood was starting to pool already, and the healing fairies swarmed her, immediately calling out for supplies and herbs, while others rushed around, grabbing what was needed. The crowd that was gathered was ushered away by a grumpy looking healing fairy, who promptly shut the leaf curtains for privacy. Two fairies were swabbing the blood while a sparrow man clothed in white was making a sturdy bandage, commanding the two. One fairy with short orange hair was slowly starting to sew the wounds shut. Tinkerbell watched while hugging her knees as she sat on a tree root. Terence sat next to her, watching her with concern. Iridessa put her hand on Tink’s and gave a tiny, hopeful smile despite her eyes filled with sadness.

“Sit her up,” The sparrow man spoke. “Keep the wound higher than the heart.”

Periwinkle was sat up, her eyes glazed and unfocused. She did not seem to register that Tinkerbell was there, or what was happening to her.

“Rub the medicine on her wounds. It should stabilize the poison.”

“How do you know it's poison?” Tink asked thickly, feeling how dangerously close to crying she really was.

“The blood is discolored and is not clotting like it should naturally,” the sparrow man answered. “The ointment on the bandages should help to conceal the blood. She needs to return back to Winter, which will help greatly to stem her blood flow.” 

“I want to help her,” Tinkerbell whispered, standing up. 

“You can help her fly across the border.”

Tinkerbell walked to the small leaf stretcher and grabbed a corner, looking to the other fairies who started to levitate. They stood in the air until the sparrow man doctor finished wrapping Periwinkle’s shoulder. 

“Let’s go,” the doctor commanded, flying outside the room and pushing aside any leaves that may obstruct the path of the fairies. Tinkerbell watched her sister’s face as she flew as fast as she could, her heart pounding in fear. She could see the Winter border up ahead, Peri’s friends were crowded around the bridge. They all were looking at something.

“Tink!” Sled called out, waving her down. “The guard!”

The fairies holding Peri up did not stop until they crossed the border and got blasted by the cold. Tinkerbell started to shiver, goosebumps formed in her arms and she knew she could not stay for long.  
Tinkerbell panted heavily, her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. She looked at the guard who was lying lifeless in the snow, his wings were swaying like a dead dragonfly’s as his empty eyes stared ahead.

“What… happened?” Tinkerbell asked, leaning over.

A snowy owl chirped overhead, and everyone looked up. Peri’s eyes flicked around blankly.

“What happened here?” Lord Milori asked, his snowy owl landing in front of everyone and glaring down at them all. He looked out of breath, and there were small scratches on his face.

“We don’t know,” Sled admitted, kneeling over the corpse. “We came back to get cold again... and we found him just like this.”

“Get her on my owl,” Lord Milori commanded. He slid off his own and landed heavily on the snow. Tinkerbell saw him wince ever so slightly before walking over, his jaw clenched as he knelt over the body, picked it up, and carried it bridal style to his owl where Periwinkle was gently being set upon. Lord Milori set the body next to her, and Tinkerbell watched with worry. She noticed a few feathers were stained with blood where Milori sat and glanced casually to him while he was carefully but quickly setting Peri on his owl. His thigh had a bloodstain that was traveling down his leg, and Tinkerbell hoped he was not poisoned as well. His arms were scratched up, and there was an extended cut along his side, but his cape helped conceal most of it. He secured both his incapacitated passengers and mounted his own owl, Tink noticed his eyes squeezed shut when he leaned to his left, but he opened them and scowled at the group.  
“I shall see to this,” he said grimly. “Yah!”

His owl crouched a little before swooping his wings, flying into the deeper parts of Winter. 

“It’s best you go home, Tink,” Spike mumbled. “I don’t think you should wait here.”

Tink’s eyes drifted to the patch of snow where the body was, so empty and cold.  
\---

She did not eat that night but worried and wondered about her sister. She lay awake in bed, thinking of the possible outcomes of what will happen, and burst out crying thinking of anyone that would result in Periwinkle’s life ending. Peri was strong, though, and maybe the wretched claws were not poisoned, but just long. Her hope popped like a fragile bubble as a conversation at the healer’s played back in her head.

'How do you know it’s poisoned?'   
'The blood is discolored and is not clotting like it should naturally.'

Tears once again spilled out of Tink’s cheeks, her body relapsed into violent shivers despite her warm, comfortable sheets. She sat up, hugging her knees and rocking herself, staring at a crumb on her floor. Eventually, when the pale moonlight crawled from one side of her bed to another, she knew sleep would not come, and she left her bed, walking to her closet and dawning her day clothes. Her nose was horribly congested, and a headache was thudding dully in the back of her head. She heated up her kettle and started to make chamomile tea, her favorite drink. Peri’s was iced chamomile tea and the thought of drinking tea with her sister both upset and brought hope. Tink poured herself a mug and sat down, staring numbly at the wisps of steam that shone in the moonlight.   
Surely, there had to be an antidote somewhere for this type of thing. After all, poison was not an unknown substance. Tink’s wings rose a little as she had found a solid foothold in hope. Peri was a winter fairy, they had their own healers on her side, and the cold would help her wound. Yes, it was a good chance Peri would make it. A soft knock thumped softly with Tink’s headache. She rose and walked to the door, opening it, suddenly aware of how tired her eyes were.

“Terence?”

Terence stood in the doorway and smiled gravely at her.

“Hey, Tink,” He greeted. She stepped back and gestured for him to come inside. He did.

“What are you doing here?” She asked quietly, hearing how congested she was.

“I wanted to make sure you’re alright,” Terence answered, shrugging and tilting his head a little. “It was a hard day for you, and I figured you wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

“How right you are.”

“The other fairies meant to come, but they’re all working. Silvermist is currently bringing water to the reserves. Fawn is grieving over her own losses. Iridessa is helping to find anyone or thing suspicious in the shadows. Rosetta is trying to keep the infected plants contained, and Vidia is helping Nyx scout the whole town. I, in fact, can’t stay for too long.”

“How come?”

“There was a speck of fairy dust that was found. It is black, and we don’t know what it can do.”  
Tinkerbell felt her heart sink again. She wondered if she should tell Terence about the poison that was injected into the tree. The loud sound that filled her ears from the gash sent shivers down her spine. She was back in the tree, holding her scared and dying sister, the sound of fighting behind her. What if she turned around? Set her sister down and helped Lord Milori contain King Thresh? He would have been exposed, everyone would have found out who was causing the poison. He would have had to take it out from Peri and be banished forever into his providence.   
But she didn’t. She did not help Lord Milori or turn around. She was scared and wanted to help her sister. Besides, if she did set her down, Peri may not have been awake when Tink came back for her. All three of them may have died that night.  
Tink didn’t notice the blanket draped over her shoulders, or that she was shivering.

“I should go back to the tree now,” Terence said softly, looking at her as he slowly stood. “Fairy Gary is already uptight about letting me leave.”

'Don’t leave me,' Tinkerbell thought. Her heart ached with her head, and she watched him to the door. Her chest pained watching him leave, but her throat was clogged with a painful lump for her to say anything. She did not want to to leave her, she wanted to feel his warm embrace and listen to his heart.

“Terence?”

“Yes, Tinkerbell?”

“Thank you.”

He gave her a gentle smile before leaving the fairy alone to her thoughts. Her headache did not cease, and she held her mug, staring at the contents.  
She felt a spike of anger towards Lord Milori. Had he not stood chatting away with someone he knew was not allowed in Pixie Hollow, all of this could have stopped. No more dead fairies or animals or tainted water. She set her mug angrily on the table, spilling the cold tea. Then again, her anger evaporated, as she was the one who exposed them two. Had she said nothing, Lord Milori would have been struck and wounded, leaving Thresh to destroy the tree. If she and Peri had tried to stop him, it would be very likely both would have died, or Queen Clarion becoming another victim.  
Another knot tightened in the fairy’s stomach. What if Lord Milori was dying because she didn’t help him. What if he was poisoned, and because Tink did not help him, would two Winter fairies die on the same day? She felt sick, and tears started to form again.

It was still dark when Tinkerbell left her house wearing a heavy coat. She flew through the sky straight to the Winter border, spotting a few guards. Something clicked inside her head, and she landed promptly in front of him.  
“Where did the guard get his cube?”

“This is no time for jokes, Warm Fairy,” a tired male growled. 

“I’m serious!” Tink defended. “The one who died from poison!”

“We saw no cube,” a wary female said.

“You didn’t? Tink asked. She paced slightly and remembered the position the deceased guard was in when he was lying in the snow. He was parallel to the edge of the bridge, and he was stomach-side down. “He was lying face down… the cube was in his hands…”  
She jumped onto the Winter side and promptly started to dig, ignoring the snow biting into her hands, stinging them.

“Stop that!”

Both guards pulled her back, and the female frosted Tink’s wings to prevent any repercussions.   
“The cube was poisoned,” Tink said darkly. “Where did he get it?”

“We don’t know,” the female admitted. “He was a good guard though, he helped fight alongside Lord Milori when a rabid fox-”

“Thanks!” Tink called back as she zoomed through the winter air. She would not and could not stop. Peri depended on this information. A building caught her eye. The Keeper! Of course! He could help her! Tinkerbell steered her path to the library, landing heavily on the snow before running inside.

“Keeper! Keeper!” Tink cried, her voice echoing slightly in the cold chambers. “Keeper, where are you?!”

“I’m a-coming, don’t you worry now,” the short, wise sparrow man soothed. “Ah, hello, Tink! Pleasure meeting you here.”

“Keeper,” Tink hastily responded. “Is there anything on an antidote for poison? Also, where is Peri? Also, I know how the guard died! Also, don’t let anyone near any water!”  
She spoke this out rather fast and jumbled, entirely out of breath as she stumbled on the frozen ground, the fatigue of a sleepless night dawning on her.  
“Easy now, Tinkerbell,” he calmed. “You’re exhausted. Come, take a seat, and I will help explain with all the resources I have.”

Tinkerbell hastily walked to the nearest bench and sat, eyes trained on him. She leaned over and pressed both hands in between her legs. She took off her mittens since they got soaked from digging in the snow. Her frosted wings were high as she stared at Dewey as if he was the gift of life itself.  
“Now, starting from the begin-”  
“Poison! I want everything you have on poison!”

“I’ll see what I have,” Dewey patiently answered, leaving Tinkerbell to bring as many books as he could. She immediately went to work, filling herself with as much information on poisons as she could. None of them were helpful for her specific need, however, and she was eventually slowing in her greed for knowledge. Dewey was doing what he could to help, making sure the books were put back to prevent accidental rereading and confusion, although he also wanted to keep his hard work organized.

“Where is Peri?” Tinkerbell asked, staring down at a page on antidotes for water snake venom and the effects.

“Periwinkle? She’s in intensive care.”

“Is she…” Tink could not keep eye contact. “Well, going to make it?”

“I cannot guarantee anything,” Dewey answered honestly. “But she is better now.”

“May I see her? Oh, may I, please?”

He gave a soft chuckle.  
“I won’t stop you.”

“Thank you, Dewey!”   
She hugged him tightly, and he gave a small sound of shock from the sudden constriction around his chest. “Where is she?”  
“Last, I heard she was in the small healing town, next to Lord Milori’s castle.”

Again, she hugged him tightly.  
“Thank you,” she echoed before zooming out of his library.  
“Good luck, Tinkerbell,” Dewey said to the closing door before going to clean up the books.  
\---  
Tinkerbell flew as fast as she could, easily keeping the frozen castle within the line of view.   
“Watch it, Warm Fairy!  
“Sorry!” She apologized over her shoulder before focusing straight ahead. As she neared the castle, her gaze shifted from the tall, proud spires of ice to the small town below. Many Winter Fairies were fluttering about, busy on their own tasks at hand. No one paid attention to Tinkerbell as she landed.  
“Excuse me!” Tinkerbell followed a walking sparrow man who was carrying white sheets. “Do you know where Periwinkle is?’  
“Periwinkle?” he turned and looked at her. “The one who’s poisoned?”  
“Know any other Periwinkles?” she countered dully.  
“Clever. She’s in the tent by the mountain. We don’t want her to get too excited. The poison is still in her.”  
“How bad is it?” Tink’s excitement of hearing her sister’s revival was quickly replaced by remorse, her wings drooped.   
“It’s been painful. The poison has been working its way through her system. But we will do anything in our power to stop it.”  
“May I see her?”  
He nodded and flew to a small tent.  
Tinkerbell slowly walked over to a small white tent and peeked inside. There were healing fairies crowded around a very ill-looking Periwinkle who was sitting up. They started to mumble when Periwinkle’s wings began glowing, and all directed their focus to the entrance of the tent, where Tinkerbell smiled and waved timidly, very aware of the mumbling about their wings.   
“Hey,” she greeted as she slipped inside, walking over to the bed.  
Peri smiled and waved with her right hand, her left shoulder was heavily bandaged up, and spots of brownish-red were in the center. She looked slightly gray instead of her naturally pale complexion, and there were dark spots under her eyes.   
“Hey, Tink,” Peri said, her voice cracked and dry.  
“How are you feeling?”  
“Not so good, but after a long night, I’m better now.”  
“Good.”  
“How is the Pixie Tree?”  
A healing fairy started to swap out the bandages, speaking in hushed whispers for the sisters to talk undistracted. A massive dried spot of dried blood caked the inner side of the dressing, and Tink saw there was dried blood covering the actual wound. Tink felt her heart stop, but it warmed again as the blood was clotting as it should. Two sparrow men started to swab away the dried blood.  
“It’s good. So far. Terence said they found a black speck of fairy dust.”  
“Black?”  
“Yeah. Fair Gary said any dust-keeper, including himself, doesn't know what it does.”  
Tink saw the five gashes as the blood was cleaned off. There was a fragile sheet of skin over each mark, and it looked horribly scarred. But it was a good sign; the body was responding to heal itself as it should.   
“That’s not good.”  
“You look better today.”  
Peri laughed a little.  
“I’ll take that. I feel horrible; I did not sleep at all last night willingly. Only been asleep by the drinks the healers gave me.”  
“I worried all night,” tink said in a bantering tone. “You gave me a scare.”  
“Sorry.”  
They both smiled, the rising sun making the shadows bold on the side of their tent, while everything was starting to glow with a crisp orange hue. It was a peaceful silence that dragged for several minutes before Peri spoke up again.  
“Lord Milori said that King Thresh is in serious trouble.”  
“He came to you?” Tink sounded surprised.  
“Just for a short time., he was pretty angry.”  
“Did he say anything else?”   
“Just that he’s thankful I’m alive. He was in a hurry, he said he was going away immediately.”  
“What?”  
“Yeah, I was shocked. Lord Milori did not let himself get bandaged up, he kept dismissing the healers. I don’t know what happened during the fight.”  
“I’ll ask him, that is if he didn’t leave yet.”  
Tinkerbell leaned over and hugged her sister gingerly.  
“You’re going already?” Peri sounded upset as she held Tinkerbell close, feeling the warmth burn her skin.  
“Yeah,” Tink admitted. “I need to talk to Lord Milori.”  
“Why?”  
“I need to talk to him about the fight and why he allowed a Pixie in the place they are banned. Besides, I need to ask him about the guard who died.”  
“A guard died?”  
“Oh, that’s right. You were unconscious. When I got to the border, a guard was dead. But he was holding something that I believe contained poison, which pricked him, then killed him. Lord Milori knew him, which is why I need to speak with Lord Milori and find out who was the guard’s friend who gave him the cube.”  
Peri was registering what Tink said, frowning slightly.  
“That seems a bit implausible, don’t you think?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“The guard could have found the cube.”  
“Which meant someone placed it to be found.”  
Periwinkle put that into consideration.  
“But how will talking to Lord Milori solve it?”  
“I just need to talk to him. Tell him what I found out, and tell him to keep people from the water.”  
“Well, good luck,” Peri said. “I don’t know if he left already.”  
“I guess I’ll find out.”  
The two sisters hugged again, Tink was gentle not to touch Peri’s injured shoulder.  
“I’ll be back,” Tink promised.  
“I’ll be here,” Peri laughed a little.

Tink smiled and waved goodbye, facing the outside before flying to Lord Milori’s castle, thankful it was close. It did not take long to ascend to the steps and hesitated before the front door. Did she have to knock? Should she just walk in? Tinkerbell figured that if anyone could fly into the Pixie Tree, then surely Winter fairies could enter the castle of Lord Milori. Did the rules that applied to queens worked with lords?  
As she raised her hand to knock, the door opened slowly. Tinkerbell stepped back and lowered her hand as Sled appeared, looking at her with mild surprise.  
“Tinkerbell?”  
“Oh, hey, Sled.”  
“Periwinkle is in the healing town just East from here.”  
“I spoke to her, I want to talk to Lord Milori.”  
“Lord Milori left a while ago.”  
Tinkerbell’s eyebrows raised.   
“Where did he go?”  
“He wasn’t too specific, but he might be back tonight.”  
“He will?”  
“Hopefully, yes. But seeing the day just started, I suggest you go back to the warm season and rest up. You look exhausted.”  
“I do need to help in stopping the poison...”  
“Get some rest and come back when you are ready.”  
“Okay.”

Tink waved goodbye before zipping into the cold air, bundling herself as tightly as she could in her jacket. The border slowly approached her as the cold wind nipped her hands and cheeks, Tink did not stop until she felt the warmth encase her.   
Her eyes felt sore, and nothing sounded better than a good sleep to rejuvenate herself. She flew to her home and walked inside, noticing an abandoned mug on her table. Picking it up, cold chamomile tea spilled over the rim; it was pretty full. Tink flew to the window and poured it out, setting the cup upside down on a counter and fluttering to her bed. She thought of Peri and how she was getting better. Perhaps there was more hope than she expected.  
\----  
Lord Milori urged his owl to slow, descending into a clearing of dirt. Bumpy tree roots twisted around the dry, aged trees that stretched skyward. Lichen hugged the dank logs that had fallen over, while carrion bugs scuttled through the rotten wood. His owl gave a gruff chirp as Lord Milori dismounted, patting the feathery neck of his loyal bird before walking ahead.  
He noticed a small squirrel shivering next to a tree stump. A Pixie was whispering to it, calming it as the animal ceased to tremble, then breath altogether. The Pixie stroked the fur and then stared at Lord Milori.  
“Greetings, Lord Milori,” he said in a neutral tone.   
“Hello,” Lord Milori answered, his face devoid of any emotion.  
“King Thresh is not pleased with you,” The Pixie called out, hovering over and landing next to the lord, walking in step with him.  
“And I, him.”  
“He is thinking back on his offer with you.”  
“Good. I never wanted it to begin with.”  
They walked in silence, arriving at an old, dying oak tree. Its branches bare of any leaves, the bark was aged and had many knots and bumps. It looked like the Pixie Tree of another dimension.  
The Pixie flew off, and Lord Milori was left at the base of the tree, looking up at a small ledge, hundreds of feet above him. Fortunately, some polypores wound up from the bottom of the tree, forming perfect steps for each level. He took one step, rose, and looked back to his owl, who was watching him dully. The owl gave a deep hoot, and Milori responded with his own mimicked sound, and he watched the snowy owl fly into the treetops nearby. Every step led him to King Thresh, and every step caused the healing scab in his leg to crack and reopen, causing blood to slowly leak out. It was uncomfortable to feel something warm run down his leg, and each repetitive movement created pain to flare in his thigh.   
He did not stop until he reached the very core of the tree, the polypores gradually growing smaller the higher he went, sparing his leg any excessive movement.  
“King Thresh,” Lord Milori said into the grand room.   
It had an orange, earthy glow to it, the walls were carved out and smooth, while the furniture was made from the nature around it. It was warm and homey and very grandeur at the same time.  
“Lord Milori,” King Thresh answered, walking over.   
“My Winter Fairies are suffering from your works.”  
“Milori, I can assure you that I have not done anything to Pixie Hollow.”  
“You may not have, but your Pixies have. I demand you to remove them now.”  
“I have not sent anyone to Pixie Hollow. When I find out who is missing, I’ll find a punishment that fits.”  
King Thresh walked over and a small smile. He seemed genuine in his emotions as he approached the lord.  
“I’m sorry, I really am.”  
“My fairy died,” Milori hissed. “And I will not overlook that.”  
“Died?” Thresh’s eyebrows rose in shock. “From what?”  
“You.”

The room rang with Milori’s voice, the tension thick. The soft thump of a weapon placed on the ground made Milori realize there were guards in the room, but he did not see any in his peripheral vision as he stared at the king. Thresh placed his fingertips gingerly together and separated them, opening his mouth. He closed it, frowning as he thought of any words to say, and reconnected his fingers.

“I did not know that,” Thresh empathized. “I will do my best to find who is behind this.”  
“I am looking at him right now.”  
“You think I am behind this?”  
Thresh placed a hand on his chest, and his face was full of shock. Milori’s jaw tightened.  
“Lord Milori, I will not be attacked by a false accusation! I will do my best to stop this atrocity!”  
“I expect this to end by today. My fairies are not safe with you.”  
“I will do my best,” Thresh echoed, hissing in annoyance. “Now, leave me.”  
Lord Milori scowled at King Thresh, his thoughts going to Periwinkle, and how she took the brunt of an attack. He saw Tink throwing herself over her sister’s body, tears gushing down her face as friends surrounded the dead fairy.  
“Is it too hard to leave a room?”  
Thresh’s harsh voice brought Milori back, and he scowled.  
“This is not an accident. You know exactly what is going on in Pixie Hollow. You nearly killed it as you did my guard.”  
Lord Milori growled, approaching the king.   
“You act shocked, but you feel no displeasure. Yet you struck the tree, you assaulted my fairy who took a lethal blow meant for me.”  
King Thresh growled back, glaring as he stood his ground.  
“Had Peri not shouted, I would have been a victim to you.”  
Thresh’s jaw clenched, his body bristling.  
“I hereby charge you for attempted murder, assault-”  
Thresh slapped the Lord of Winter across the face, the blow clapped through the room and Thresh looked shocked himself. The guards stepped forward from the edge of the room, Lord Milori counted at least six by the footsteps alone. He stood up fully, a good foot taller than king Thresh and he gave a dark scowl. Thresh’s look of shock and fear quickly vanished by the time he locked his eyes with Milori.  
“I’m sorry, Milori,” Thresh sighed. “But I just want to be powerful. Not seen as some wannabe, but known as a king who will have no weaknesses! Who will do anything to be on the top! And to become the strongest, I must knock down those who stand in my way!”  
Sharp points pressed into Lord Milori’s spine, and he turned his head to see two Pixies holding spears against him. The points pressed deeper into Milori’s spine, but he planted his feet firmly into the ground.  
“King Thresh,” Lord Milori growled. “If you kill me, there will be war. It will not be wise.”  
“Oh no,” King Thresh shook his head. “I will not kill you. I already made it much worse for me. After all, you’re the only person who knows what I have done. If I kill you, all of Pixie Hollow will be after me. I merely want to… keep you in reserve.”  
\---

Tinkerbell awoke, stretching and yawning, her headache gone, and her eyes no longer burning. Despite feeling completely refreshed, something was not right. Her gut was grumbling for food while detecting something unusual. Tink got up and padded across the room, the sunset making her whole house a bold orange. She noticed the ring of tea that marked her wooden table, and her wings lowered. She was usually really good at keeping things tidy, but she forgot to wipe away the leftover liquid that stained her table. Grabbing a small towel, Tinkerbell started to wipe whatever she could away off the table, only to notice how soft the wood was when she applied any pressure to the spot. She focused harder on what she was cleaning.  
The wood has rotted and turned black, and if she leaned over and smelled it, it smelled of rotten timber, and minuscule spores blew away when she breathed. Dropping the towel, Tink ran to the window where she poured her tea and looked down. Rotted bark was peeling off the side of the rot holding her home. Tink hurried out of her house and flew down to assess the damage, looking at the black spot in her tree. It wasn’t any bigger than Tinkerbell, but it was big enough to cause worry. Her stomach dropped. If she drank that tea…  
Tinkerbell flew into town, slowly descending. She needed Pixie Dust and started to walk to the tree as Terence gave out the dust in the mornings. Other times, fairies lined up to receive their dust from Fairy Gary.   
“Hey, Tink!”   
Tinkerbell looked at the speaker.  
“Zarina! Hi!”  
“We heard about what happened,” Zarina said, flying next to the Fairy. “I’m glad to see you awake.”  
“I may not have been,” Tink shuddered.  
“What do you mean?”  
Tinkerbell explained about her tea as they arrived at the Pixie Dust Tree, Tink using the rest of her dust to fly up into it. Zarina looked shocked at the news.  
“Why would someone try to kill you?”  
“I don’t know,” Tink replied honestly. “But they are in Pixie Hollow, and no matter how hard we look, nothing is suspicious. They’re ghosts.”  
“If Nyx can’t find anyone, then maybe we all are looking in the wrong direction.”  
“What do you mean?” 

The two fairies sat at the edge of the dust pool, and Tink stared at the glowing contents. Terence flew over, carrying a bowl of dust that made his chest glow. He tipped it over and poured it over the fairy, her wings fluttering a little.  
“Hey, Tinkerbell,” he said, flying above her. “I’m glad you’re up.”  
“Hey, Terence,” Tinkerbell replied. “Me too.”  
He set the bowl down and looked at her.  
“You too?”  
Again, Tinkerbell explained her tea issue to Terrence, who looked thoroughly concerned.   
“Tink,” he said. “This is bad.”  
“I know,” she answered, hugging her knees. “I think I might see Peri today. Tell her what’s going on.”  
“That might not be a good idea,” Zarina said. “She would start to worry about who is targeting you and may even put herself at risk to come here.”  
“She’s right, Tink,” Terence piped in. “Peri does not need the extra stress. She needs her rest.”  
“We can ask Rosetta about your tree.”  
Tink nodded and got up, looking outside. The sun was sinking across the border, making the sky a deep red.  
“Tonight!” Tink gasped.   
Both Zarina and Terence looked confused.  
“Tonight?” Terence asked.  
“Yeah,” Tink answered. “I forgot I needed to be somewhere.” 

She ran to the edge of the tree and turned to them. “I’ll be right back!”  
Tink jumped into the air and took off flying into the Winter border, landing in front of the guards who stood still. They were different from the fairy and sparrow man, now it was two sparrow men. She did a small spin for them, and they frosted her wings, talking in quiet tones to each other. Tinkerbell started to shiver, wishing she brought her coat in her haste to arrive. She nearly turned to leave but decided that wouldn’t be a good idea as the guards would have been annoyed if she came and went immediately to return again. She decided it would be best to continue and did not stop until she reached the castle. Landing on the snow, she eyed the small village where her sister was kept.   
“I’ll be right back, Peri,” Tinkerbell whispered, opening the proud castle doors.  
Whether it was colder or warmer inside, Tink could not tell. There was no cold wind to buffet her skin, but the frozen walls emitted cold, and the air was dry and still. She clenched her teeth to prevent them from chattering.  
“Lord Milori?”  
Sled’s voice came from behind the wall, and he appeared from a hallway in the corner of the room. “Oh, hey, Tinkerbell. What are you doing here?”  
“I thought Lord Milori would have been back by now.”  
“I did too. He shouldn’t take too long now. You can stay if you would like.”  
“Thanks. I’ll visit Peri in the meantime.”  
Tinkerbell left the castle and flew down to the healing town, shivering furiously from the cold that was biting her skin. Landing in front of the tent, her wings started to glow, causing some healing fairies to look over.  
“Hello, Tinkerbell,” a Winter fairy with long white hair greeted.  
“Hello,” Tinkerbell echoed. “Have we met?”  
“Peri won’t stop talking about you, and your wings are glowing, that means you are Tinkerbell! She’s inside the tent, and is feeling much better.”  
“Thank you!” Tinkerbell cried and hurried into the tent where Periwinkle was sitting up, her wings glowing.  
“Hey, Tink!” Peri said. The circles under her eyes were smaller, and her skin was her healthy pale complexion. The scars on her shoulder were crusted and rough, and Tink smiled.  
“Hey, Peri, You look much better than before.”  
“Thanks. I feel much better.”  
“Did Lord Milori visit you today?”  
“No, he did not. Why?”  
“Just curious.”  
They sat quietly, and a fairy put a white coat on Tinkerbell, which slightly stopped the cold beating Tink’s skin. The tent grew dark with the night sky, and Peri lowered herself, giving a deep sigh.   
“It’s best to let her rest. We assume in a week she’ll be healthy and ready to move,” a healing talent sparrow man gently addressed Tinkerbell. Tink rested her hand on her sister’s, who was already slipping into the arms of sleep.   
“Goodnight, Periwinkle,” Tinkerbell whispered before leaving the tent and entered the cold night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the style a bit, I'm still a working on how to make it look less cluttered. Hope you're liking it!


	3. Chapter 3- Tink, Fawn, Owl

Chapter 3 

Blood was dripping on the floor, splattering against the wall as spears were swung violently. Lord Milori was not going down without a fight, and fight he shall. His leg, however, was growing worse the harder he pushed himself for survival, but the thought of Periwinkle dying from heroism and if he could not even avenge her burned in his chest like a fire. He would not let her die in vain. It spurred him on further as he grappled one guard who grappled back, and they stood, clawing each other’s shoulders and stood in a stalemate like two angry bucks who would not yield. 

“Lord Milori,” King Thresh hissed, walking over and stepping over an unconscious guard with a spear impaling his calf. “Fighting will not make this easier. That’s all you do, fight. I asked for a treaty, and you fought to resist. I ask that you stay, and you fight.” 

He walked over to the two non yielding sparrow men, eyeing the blood running down Lord Milori’s leg, the red dripping into his boots. 

“I remember making that. Just yesterday, in fact. Where was I? Hmm… Oh, yes.” 

King Thresh lunged over, striking his claws into the fresh wound in Milori’s leg, feeling the tendons strain from the pressure and yanked his claws out, hearing Milori’s cry of pain and felt the warm blood run down his hand. Wounded, Lord Milori fell over from the strength of the guard, his leg giving out. 

“That should keep you from getting any ideas,” King Thresh scoffed while walking to the doorway. “Pick him up.” 

The guard lifted Milori by wrapping his arms around the lord, who kicked angrily with his good leg, spraying blood around. 

“Stand down!” Lord Milori barked, doubling over and wiping a handful of blood off his thigh. With a single movement, Lord Milori slapped his blood into the guard’s eyes by twisting his arm painfully to reach the guard's face, but it was effective. The guard released Lord Milori, who lunged to the discarded spear next to the unconscious guard who contained the other one. He yanked it from the ground, spinning around just in time to see the angered guard running toward him, the blood smear across his face as it was wiped from his eyes. Lord Milori stood his ground and thrust the spearhead deep into the gut of the guard, using the momentum to aside in shoving the speahead deeper into the flesh. The guard gasped and immediately coughed blood, doubling over.

“You are going nowhere, you poisonous snake!” Lord Milori shouted, charging at King Thresh who turned around in shock, not expecting the Lord to be released so early, or to be running at all, more or less standing. The burning in his leg would not falter, but Lord Milori spurred himself further, clenching his teeth and crouched before pouncing and tackling the king. 

“Stop!” King Thresh shouted as he fell backward, and the two rolled on the mushroom balcony, spreading blood everywhere as they fought to be on top. The night air was cool and breezy, a perfect afternoon for running in the tall grass and catching lightning bugs, sitting outside and watching the stars. Lord Milori gave a shrill whistle, and his owl responded with its own. The massive bird flew from the treetops like a phantom, sharp claws opened as it glided down without a sound.

“Call off your bird!” Thresh pinned Lord Milori down, causing his head to dangle off the edge as Thresh grabbed Milori’s throat. Milori gave a choked gasp and kicked with all the strength he currently had into Thresh’s gut, imbalancing both of them. The momentum caused King Thresh to fall forward, off the edge . On instinct, he grabbed whatever his hand could reach, which was Lord Milori's chest and taking him down as well. Thresh immediately pumped his wings as hard as he could to stop the momentum of his falling, slowly stopping himself in the air. He looked down to see Milori was still falling, and grinned slightly, confused on why Lord Milori wouldn't fly. Perhaps the cape was too heavy. He remembered the former King Everlance saying something about Lord Milori being unable to fly, but that was years ago. Thresh could not remember exactly, but if Lord Milori fell to his death, Thresh had one less enemy to worry about. His grin fell as Lord Milori’s owl swooped down and caught the rider, flying hard to escape the Outer Lands.   
King Thresh blasted a shrill whistle, and Pixies in the hollow trees appeared, tightening bows and aiming at the owl. They did not fire but instead watched Lord Milori fly away with their weapons trained. 

“Animal Pixies! Call the crows!” King Thresh shouted, flying after the snowy owl. “Do not let them escape!” 

“Hurry,” Lord Milori urged his owl. “We must warn Pixie Hollow. Queen Clarion is in danger. Hurry!” 

A large black crow shot from the tree lines and blocked the path to the owl, who was far bigger. Lord Milori steered his owl to go around the bird, who engaged with the owl, clawing and screeching while pecking its sharp beak into the owl’s chest. Lord Milori had no choice, he commanded his owl to strike and where gripping the reins tightly as he did so. The crow fell as easily as it had risen. The sun was setting, and the darkness was growing.   
A fiery, sharp pain stabbed above Milori’s hip, causing him to cry out once more. His owl hooted loudly before two crows latched onto it, their claws digging into the white feathery down. Lord Milori looked at what injured him and saw a long arrow embedded into his skin. His vision was doubling; four crows were beating down on his owl. Dozens of talons swiped into the feathers, blood was gushing everywhere and somehow he was falling. His fingers grabbed the feathers, which melted in his hand and he was grabbing air. The ground was above him, but he felt like he was floating. The darkness closed its jaws around the Lord as he went limp, falling in silence.   
His owl screeched, feeling the weight of his master leave his back. The crows would not stop their attack, and the owl would not let them stop from saving his master. The powerful bird sank its beak into the head of the crow, the stretchy skin breaking open and the owl thrashed it violently, closing its wings and dropping. Gaining momentum, he kept his large, amber eyes locked on his falling master. Releasing the crow, the snowy owl gave a piercing cry, to which Lord Milori did not respond. Fear turned to desperation, and the remaining crow sank its talons into the back of the snowy owl. The wounded crow slowly landed, its head cocked at an odd angle before flying, flopping uselessly on the ground before going still, bleeding out.   
King Thresh flew to the falling sparrow man, his eyes locked on the owl. 

“Shoot it, now!” He barked, racing the bird to the falling sparrow man. Something in the trees clicked loudly, and then the loud bang of a projectile. A large, weighted net shot forward, hitting the bleeding snowy owl square on. A loud screech filled the air as the powerful bird was shot down, vainly trying to break the fall as he was slammed heavily into the ground, skidding into the dirt. He twisted his neck to see Thresh catch Milori, and angrily screeched, watching helplessly as they flew out of sight. The moon rose on the bird, struggling in vain to get free, crying for his master.   
\--- 

“Queen Clarion,” Sunflower spoke, flying alongside the queen. “How will Summer be delivered to the mainland when the risk of the rot in the season is so high?” 

“We have not found anyone suspicious or new in my season,” Hyacinth spoke, watching the queen. “It’s like a phantom.” 

Queen Clarion stared ahead, thinking. “And you are sure you have not found anyone?” 

“No,” all four ministers said together. 

“Then we must be looking in the wrong way,” Clarion said. “Surely, there must be some lead.” 

“Maybe they are underground?” Sunflower asked, entirely out of ideas as the rest. 

“That is…” Redleaf began in a hard tone before considering it, his brow furrowing. “Might make sense, actually.” 

“That would explain why we can’t find them,” Hyacinth pondered. 

“And if the plants are dying the easiest, their roots must be taking the poison from deep under the dirt,” Redleaf continued, turning to the queen. “Queen Clarion?”

“That is logical,” Queen Clarion agreed. “We could evacuate the fairies into Winter, and have those especially assigned to dig deep and find the poison. Since it is found the most by the river, there must be a geyser of some sort making it rise. We should start there. That is, of course, if Lord Milori agrees to allow such a vast number added for a temporary population?” 

She looked over at Snowflake with gentle eyes, who looked back with a slight tint of concern on her own. 

“I don’t know,” Snowflake admitted. The other ministers looked at each other and Snowflake quickly continued. “He isn’t back yet.” 

“Lord Milori left?” Queen Clarion asked, her eyebrows raised. 

“He was gone all of yesterday and last night. He did not tell anyone where he was going or for how long. Only Sled has an inkling of when he may have come back, and that was last night.” 

The ministers were silent, looking at the queen. 

“We shall wait for his return,” she finally said. “But prepare the border for immediate evacuation.” 

“I will do it,” Snowflake said, determination in her voice. “But one thing does not add up.” 

“What is that?” 

“Whenever Lord Milori leaves without telling anyone, it’s only a few hours. Once or twice it was a full day. But he always sets someone up in charge if he will be gone for too long. Why did he not do so now?” 

“Kidnapped?” Hyacinth gasped. 

“No,” Redleaf grunted. “He would not be that foolish or weak. Something might have happened to his owl.” 

“Possibly,” Sunflower sighed. “But he can’t just disappear.” 

“And what about the alleged buried poison?” Redleaf asked, redirecting the issue to the original problem. “Lord Milori can handle himself, but these fairies are in peril every hour of each day.” 

Queen Clarion nodded, looking at the ministers. She felt a little uneasy knowing Lord Milori was missing, but she had her own fairies to tend for. “Tell each of your garden fairies to dig up every rotten plant and bring it here in one piece. We need the roots. From that, we may see how deep the poison is. This meeting is adjourned.”   
\--- 

Tinkerbell woke up in her bed, recounting what happened last night. She walked to her closet and slipped on her winter jacket, walking to the front door, opening it and looking outside. 

“Hey, Tink!” Bobble cried, just below at the base of her tree, waving up at her. He did not seem to notice the small spot of rotted bark on her tree. Tink was a bit confused about why but looked at where he was standing. From where he stood, he would not be able to see the rot as it was on top of the bark, and he was below. 

“We’re needed to help deliver some supplies. Come join us!” 

“Where are we delivering them?” Tink asked, hovering down and getting greeted by an excited Cheese, who was nuzzling her side. He was harnessed to a wagon which held a pile of supplies, Clank was next to it, holding his own burden of an armful of bags. 

“Hello, Miss Bell!” Clank greeted cheerfully. “Did you have a good night’s rest?” 

“I did, in fact,” Tinkerbell replied, smiling. 

“We are delivering these to the Summer fairies,” Bobble answered, flying into the driver’s seat and grabbing the reins. 

“Yeah!” Clank continued. “Fairy Mary said the Summer Fairies needed supplies for their transport within the week, so we volunteered to help!” 

“I was planning on visiting Peri,” Tink admitted. 

“Oh,” both sparrow men said, a hint of disappointment in their voices. Tink detected it, and did not like it. The day was still young, and Peri was probably still asleep…   
“But…” Tink reconsidered. “I can travel with you seeing as the sun is still rising.” 

Clank and Bobble smiled.   
“Good! You can ride in the back and make sure none of our supplies fall!” Clank offered. “Unless you want to sit next to me?”   
“Thanks,” Tink chimed. “I don’t mind sitting in the back.” 

She fluttered over to the back and perched herself on a small wooden box. Clank sided in with his friend and turned around to face Tinkerbell.   
“Are you all ready, Miss Bell?” 

“I sure am!” 

“Then, let’s go, Cheese!” Clank commanded, gently whipping the reigns. The mouse pulled the wagon forward and traveled down the path to Summer. Tinkerbell rested her back against a small mound of bags, the leaves making a very comfortable cushion by absorbing the bumps from the road. She watched Tinker’s Nook drift away until the fairies were only seen by their glow. Their lights winked away, and Tink found herself staring at the endless dirt road that rolled under them. Tall grasses towered on each side of the path, and birds flew overhead, chirping. Cheese stopped, his nose wiggling as he sniffed the air. 

“Something wrong, Cheese?” Bobble asked, looking at the mouse. Cheese’s ears pricked up as something in the tall grass rustled.   
Tink swiveled on her box, seeing the grass near them move as something inside was running around. 

“Hey, guys?” Tink alerted, noticing that whatever was in the grass was coming toward their cart. 

“What is it, Tink?” Clank asked, coaxing Cheese to go forward. The mouse took a few steps before stopping, looking to where Tink was watching. 

“Thistles!” Tink cried as the prickly plant ran out, darting past the wagon and scratching it. 

“Run, Cheese, Run!” Clank shouted, whipping the reigns as the mouse scurried forward before gaining speed. Tinkerbell held on to the supplies, making sure nothing fell off from their hazardous speed. The wagon creaked and groaned, items along with Tinkerbell bounced and shifted around. The wagon quickly reached a fork in the road, and more Sprinting Thistles were running wildly around. 

“Take a left! A left!” Bobble shouted as several Sprinting Thistles charged around them, their sharp edges threatening to scrape the poor mouse. Cheese did not wait for the pull of the reign but ran at his own speed down the path, his paws no longer on hard dirt but the soft flowers of Spring. Several Fairies flew out of the way in panic, grabbing whatever could crash into the cart and shoving them aside. 

“Look out!” 

“Slow down!” 

“Get out of the way!” 

“Stop!” 

Cheese slowed, tripping over his feet and sliding along the path to the base of the tree, the cart easing to a stop.   
A fairy descended over. 

“What happened?” 

“Thistles,” Clank answered. “A whole bunch of them!” 

“Oh,” said the fairy in a shocked tone. “Did they scratch you?” 

“Only the wagon,” Clank answered.   
“Good. We will help carry the items for you.” 

Tink started to fly from the conversation, still wearing her jacket. With the hot sun rising, she felt hot and sweaty, her mind going to Peri.   
“... And when we reach Summer, Tink- Tink?” Bobble looked around, and the fairy was nowhere to be found. “Great.”   
\--- 

Tinkerbell flew to the Winter border, two fairies standing on the bridge. She took off her coat and spun, showing she was unarmed. The fairies did not say anything but promptly frosted her wings. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red. 

“Is something wrong?” 

She shook her head and looked like she might cry again. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Her friend died a day ago,” the other fairy answered. 

“Oh,” Tink mumbled, her voice stronger for her next reply. “I’m so sorry.” 

“We insisted that she should stay home, but-” 

“I’m staying here,” the crying guard choked. “I’m staying as long as I must to see who killed him.” 

“He was murdered?” 

“Yes,” she snapped, her eyes filled with vengeance. “I was going to tell Lord Milori to send patrols at the border with owls, but he is not here. So I will stay until I find the killer.” 

“She’s been here for days now…” Her friend mumbled. 

“How did he die?” Tink pried gently, her voice calm and low. 

“He was found dead, the only ones who saw him last were Periwinkle, Gliss, Flick, and a Warm Fairy named Tinkerbell.” 

“The cube!” Tinkerbell exclaimed. 

The guards stared at her. 

“I’m Tinkerbell! He pricked his finger on the cube, and that was the last I saw him. The cube has gone missing but I was going to ask Lord Milori about him. Someone placed that cube for him to find.” 

“But why?” 

“Maybe they wanted to avoid a fight?” 

“Well, they will get one now that’s for sure.” 

The guard cried into her hands, sniffling. Her friend patted her back sympathetically. 

“Is Lord Milori back?” Tink asked. “This is very important information we must give him.” 

“Haven’t seen him. Sled said he’s been gone for a full day and night.” 

“Weird…” Tink mumbled, staring at the snow before flicking her eyes to the fairies. “Where is Sled?” 

“Inside the castle. He’s currently helping Minister Snowflake, I think.” 

“Thank you!” Tinkerbell cried as she rose into the air, feeling the coldness nip her cheeks. “I’ll make sure your friend will not die in vain!” 

“His name is Murphy!” 

Tinkerbell did not stop until she landed at the doorsteps of the castle, hastily tugging the doors open. She could feel the cold rush through the wall of her mittens, and she slipped inside. 

“Sled?” Tinkerbell called, looking around the monochromatic interior. She was amazed at how beautiful the castle was but realized how dull it must have gotten with the lack of colors. 

“Tinkerbell?” Sled asked, appearing from behind the corner. He walked over, curious. “What are you doing here?”   
“Where is Lord Milori?” Tinkerbell asked, looking at him. 

“I’m sorry, Tinkerbell,” Sled apologized. “He told me he planned on coming back last night, but he’s still gone.” 

“Where is he?” Tink started to get a little nervous feeling in her gut. Had Queen Clarion gone missing, all of Pixie Hollow would go on an emergency search expedition.

“I don’t know,” Sled admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “He just told me he would be coming back, and that’s all I know.” 

“Do you think he’s in trouble?” 

“Probably not.” 

“Then why is it taking so long? We have important information regarding the late guard.” 

“His owl probably got sick or something. I’ll give him another day.” 

“But where would he have gone?” 

“I don’t know, Tinkerbell. Just give him another day.” 

“Alright,” Tink sighed. “Just tell me when he’s back.” 

“I’m sure you will know.” 

Tinkerbell left and hovered down to the healing town to visit her sister.   
\---   
“I can stand now, just very…” Periwinkle squatted slowly, two healing fairies on each side of her. “...Slowly.” 

“That’s great!” Tinkerbell cheered. “When will you be able to cross the border?” 

The fairies helping Periwinkle cast glances to each other. 

“I can’t cross the border, Tinkerbell,” Periwinkle sighed. “Not until a long time.” 

“Why not?” Tink asked, her eyes filled with worry. 

“I’m still recovering, Tink. It’s only my first day standing, and the healers are saying that I’m pushing myself too much already.” 

“Which you are,” a healer sighed. “You need rest, the poison isn’t fully out yet.” 

“That was really brave of you, Peri.” 

“I didn’t want you to get hurt.” 

“And I want you to get better.” 

Periwinkle swayed suddenly, her face full of shock as her legs crumpled under her. Tinkerbell lunged to catch her sister, but the healers were already holding a flushed Peri up by each of her arms, her eyes looked tired and her legs were trembling. 

“She needs rest, now,” the plump fairy on Peri’s right softly said. “It’s best you return to your warmth.” 

Tinkerbell nodded and walked to the flap, looking behind her shoulder to Peri who was being laid on the bed. 

“Sleep well.” 

She flew back to the border, tears leaking down her cheeks and she wiped them away as the cold air was freezing her eyes. She crashed into an unsuspecting Gliss, who’s snowball she was carrying exploded into a cloud of white fluff. 

“Ouch! I’m sorry!” Tink brushed snow off her hood and saw Gliss staring at her, arms crossed. She did not look cross at all but instead smiled. 

“Hey, Tink!” 

“Hey, Gliss,” Tinkerbell sheepishly said. “I’m sorry.” 

“Aw, don’t be,” Gliss dismissed. “It wasn’t important anyway. I visited Peri early, have you?” 

“I did, in fact. How was she with you?” 

“Tired, but she was determined to stand. She eventually did, but for a short time.” 

“She was standing when I visited her, but had to rest.” 

The two fairies hovered to the ground, watching the snowflakes drift down lazily.   
“Do you know what happened? She refuses to tell me anything, she’s too sleepy most of the time.” 

“Well, Lord Milori and King Thresh were talki-” 

Gliss gasped loudly, and Tink gave her a confused glance. 

“King Thresh?” Gliss asked, exasperated. “Who is he?” 

“He’s the new king of the Outerlands.”

“Why is he here?” 

“I don’t know, which is why I need to talk to Lord Milori.” Tink’s brow frowned. 

“He’s from the Outer Lands, Tink,” Gliss said. “Everyone knows Pixies from the Outer Lands are banned here.”   
“I know that, but only Lord Milori knew of King Thresh in Pixie Hollow, and after he attacked us-” 

“King Thresh did?” 

“Yeah, but he was going to kill Lord Milori!” 

Gliss’s hands rose to her mouth and she had a look of shock. 

“I saw him going to attack and shouted to warn Lord Milori, and exposed our hiding spot.” 

“Hiding spot?” 

“Yeah, they didn’t know we were in a small room But King Thresh saw us and since we were closer, attacked me. And Peri wrapped around me and she… she saved my life.” Tink’s rush of information slowed at the end, the expression of fear across Periwinkle’s face stabbed Tinkerbell’s mind, reminding her of how close they were to dying. 

“You need to help me, Gliss. Did Lord Milori show any hints of where he was going?” 

Gliss shook her head slowly, but it changed to an urgent nod.   
“No… yes… yes! Yes!” 

Now she was the one speaking fast, and Tink was listening intently. 

“Sled was hurrying to the castle with a note from the Outer Lands! I don’t know what it said, though. But that was, like, three days ago.” 

“Anything else?” 

“No… just the letter. Do you think it is an invitation?” 

“Maybe. I need to get back, though. Thanks for everything!” 

Tink hugged Gliss tightly before flying off.   
“Bye!” Gliss called out, waving.   
\--- 

“Queen Clarion!” 

Queen Clarion turned and looked at Silvermist, who was flanked by a handful of exhausted Water Talent Fairies. 

“Yes, Silvermist?” Queen Clarion asked patiently, turning her focus from Terence, who was carefully holding the black speck of fairy dust with metal tongs. 

“We listened to the babbling brook.” 

“And?” Clarion asked while Terence was watching Silvermist carefully. 

“The water is… scared.” 

The other water fairies nodded, mumbles of agreement rippled through the group. 

“Scared? Of what?” 

“Something big,” A fairy with short brown hair interjected. “Something big and dangerous is in the water and we can’t find what it is.” 

“Keep looking. Work in shifts so you all have an equal amount of rest. Travel upstream if you must.” 

They looked at each other then to Queen Clarion. 

“We combed the entire river.” 

Underground. Queen Clarion’s eyes narrowed slightly. Perhaps Sunflower was right. 

“All upstream?” 

“And into the forest.” 

“Very well. Just focus on keeping the reserves pure.” 

Something big, so big it’s underground. Makes sense. 

“Yes, Queen Clarion,” Silvermist agreed. The water fairies bowed, before turning away and flying to the river. 

“What should I do with this?” Terence asked, looking at the black speck. 

“Keep it locked away,” Queen Clarion said grimly. “Perhaps in the Mainland.” 

“We don’t know what it does yet, it might harm the humans.” 

“They do not rely on Pixie Dust, that one speck may harm all of Pixie Hollow and cripple us all forever.” 

Terence lowered the tongs slightly, staring at it. 

“You are right. I’ll lock it up tight.” 

Queen Clarion watched him leave, her wings lowering a little. She walked back into the tree, waiting for an uprooted plant.   
\--- 

There was a knock on Tinkerbell’s door. 

“I’m coming!” Tink called back, stuffing her pouch with several items and slinging it over her shoulder. She hurried to the door and opened it hastily, to have an upset Fawn greet her. 

“Oh, Tink!” Fawn started, tears running down her face. She looked awful; her face was tear-stained, her eyes red, and her nose was blocked. She looked like she had no sleep in the past few days. “Too many animals have died! I asked the Tinkerers to make a reservation for the animals but they’re too busy helping the fairies! Some are trying, but it’s too hard since there are too many animals! Please help me, Tink!” 

“Woah, slow down, Fawn,” Tink soothed. “I’m actually on my way to do something important…” 

Fawn looked helplessly with begging eyes, the same look Peri gave Tink and the feeling of losing someone struck Tink’s heart. 

“Tink… I’m scared.” 

“Me too.” 

Tink held her crying friend, knowing the feeling of exhausted crying, and remembered when Terence dropped Tink a visit when she was upset. It helped her moral and gave her a foothold of hope, she decided to do the same for Fawn despite the feeling of being in a hurry. 

“I know you feel bad, but I want to stop this.” 

Fawn said nothing and Tinkerbell continued, patting Fawn’s back. 

“I want to stop King Thresh in the Outer Lands, and I was planning on spying on him alone. But I wonder if you want to help? Together we can find out what he is scheming, and end the death toll on animals and fairies.” 

There was a silence, aside from congested sniffles, and Fawn stepped back. 

“I’ll go. I want to help any animal in any way, and I guess this is one of them.” 

“You want some rest first?” 

“No, it’s unfair that I sleep while they suffer. I’m ready.” 

Holding hands, the two fairies flew into the sunset red sky and to the Outer Lands.   
\--- 

“Where am I?” Lord Milori asked the darkness, waking up in a dark haze. It was warm and dank and smelled of mildew and dirt. His right leg was throbbing, and his hip was biting in burning pain, which hurt with the slightest movement in his injured leg. He remained sitting, feeling around him, leaning on his left and patting the ground. Warm, fresh dirt greeted his fingers and he felt nothing more. He decided to stay quiet and slowly stood up, bearing the weight on his left leg. His left side, right below the ribs, had suffered a harsh swipe during the fight in the Pixie Tree, but it had scabbed over and was healing quite well, and caused only slight discomfort when he weighed on his left. 

Walking was his flying; he used his legs more than all the fairies in Pixie Hollow combined and had relied on his owl to fly. Come to think of it, where was his owl? Alive, he hoped. He hobbled a step forward, his chest high and his face a menacing scowl. The weight of his body surged in the form of agonizing pain, and his leg wobbled under his weight and gave away. Lord Milori shot his hands out to break the fall, but the mulchy dirt was soft and airy and absorbed his impact. He would not be caged like an injured animal, but instead, fight his way out. He would not be contained. 

“Good morning, Lord Milori,” a soft male voice whispered from the corner. 

Lord Milori stood up, grimacing as his right leg struggled to comply. 

“Did you sleep well?” 

Lord Milori looked around but saw no one, it was too dark despite his eyes adjusting. He could make out the faint outline of a Pixie, and several fungi against the wall if he squinted hard enough. 

“Who are you? Where am I?” 

“I am Wolfgang, and you are Lord Milori.” 

“I know who I am,” Milori growled. “Why am I here?” 

“You are held prisoner here, it’s orders from King Thresh.” 

“Why, though? I have no value to him.” 

“I can’t tell you. But come, he is waiting.” 

He didn’t move but glared at the Pixie. Wolfgang sighed while walking over, the dirt hiding his footsteps. 

“Please don’t make this difficult.” 

“I will not go to your king.” 

Something thin started to slither up Milori’s leg, and he stepped back to kick it. His right leg buckled and he refused to fall, and the vine tightened. He grabbed them, and they instantly wrapped around Milori’s wrist. 

“What are these things?” Lord Milori hissed. 

“Vines. I’m a plant Pixie. I command them to hold you. Want them to sprout thorns?” 

Milori glared at Wolfgang. 

Wolfgang scurried into the darkness, the vines releasing Lord Milori’s legs but held firm around his wrists. He flexed his fingers, wondering if he should freeze and snap them, but they violently yanked him forward. He stumbled and willed himself to walk, gritting his teeth against the burning pain and glared into the darkness. A small speck of light was ahead, and it grew as they neared it. Wolfgang did not glance behind him, he did not need to as he knew the plants were obeying his will to pull Lord Milori. The light was the pale moonlight that illuminated the ground, and the air was warm and still, the musty air disappearing as they went outside.   
Pixies were crowding around the grass that lined the dirt pathway, watching. Some were glaring, while others jeered and spat, and others looked sympathetic and pained. Lord Milori walked, glaring coldly at his surroundings. King Thresh stood at the end of the pathway, his arms open as he smiled warmly.   
Wolfgang walked towards his king, smirking slightly as he knew the plants were struggling against Lord Milori.

“My king! I have successfully awoken the prisoner,” Wolfgang began. “As stubborn as he was.” 

“Very good, Wolfgang,” King Thresh rewarded, eyeing Milori who dug his heels into the dirt and was glaring darkly. “Was a stubborn one, yes…” 

Lord Milori resisted the vines, his body leaning back as the vines struggled to pull him forward, sweat was forming on his brow and his right leg was trembling. King Thresh’s eyes hazed for a second, and he clenched his fist. The vines gave a fierce tug, pulling downward on the right, causing all of Milori’s balance to be upset and crushing his leg. He gave a cry and fell, hitting the ground and was dragged along, Pixies laughing at the sight. Some left, not agreeing with their king’s way of treating fairies. 

“Lord Milori!” King Thresh barked. “Stand.” 

The dragging had stopped, and Lord Milori stared at his hands, trying to ignore the burning pain coursing through his leg. His fingers gripped the dirt and he looked up to King Thresh, who was smiling coldly. 

“Oh, Milori, Milori, Milori…” he chuckled, walking over and grabbing the back of Lord Milori’s shirt. His fingers felt cold despite the warm owl feathers hugging his hand, and let go, rubbing his chilled fingers. “I never thought it would have to come down to this. All I wanted was a simple yes from you, but instead, I got a fight.” 

“What’s your point?” Milori spat, standing up. He would not lay pitifully at the feet of his enemy, he would not show any signs of weakness. He could not, and his chest flared in anger. 

“It’s simple, really. We hold you here, someone finally figures out you are here, they come, and I will have them sign over the Winter season. If they don’t, I will poison everyone there. Including Queen Clarion-” he inwardly smirked as Lord Milori’s jaw tightened harder- “and life as we know it will turn to me for help. As I am the only one who can control the death of the forest.” 

“That is a horrible plan. I can tell you that already they have discovered your schemes.” 

“How can they if they haven’t even found the spies I planted there?” 

King Thresh laughed. 

“Lock him up. I plan to question him later.” 

Lord Milori’s struggles were futile against the many hands that grabbed him as he helplessly watched King Thresh turn his back on the Lord of Winter.   
\---- 

“Where are we?” Fawn gasped, wiping sweat off her brow. 

“I have no idea,” Tink answered honestly. “We should be there soon.” 

Several crickets chirped nearby, and the moon was their only guidance. Tall tree branches stretched above them, and grass hidden in the darkness rippled under them. 

“It’s getting late, Fawn, we should get some rest.” 

“I think dawn rises in six hours.” 

“All the more reason we need to sleep.” 

Fawn yawned loudly, and landed on a thick tree branch, her wings fluttering before lowering. Tinkerbell landed beside her and sat down on a hard bump.   
“Let’s get some leaves.” 

“Good idea.” 

They flew down to the ground and Tinkerbell started to lift a large, wide leaf that was still a rich green. Fawn was in another location nearby, picking up smaller blades of grass to make pillows. She tossed aside a dried, crunchy, maple leaf and noticed unusual indents on the dried dirt. Poking them, she noticed it was claws, bird claws. Too small for the average songbird, but the perfect size for an- “Owl.” 

Fawn dropped her leaves and flew to her friend. 

“Tink, we need to get out of here.” 

“I found these amazing twigs which would be excellent for lateral support for a-” 

Fawn clamped her hand over Tink’s mouth. She stepped away and looked around, raising her stick. 

“Owls,” Fawn whispered. “They live here-” 

They both crouched, hearing rustling nearby; plants shook ominously as it came closer. The fairies stood still, backing up as a large, patchy gray rat emerged, its nose wiggling as it approached. 

“Easy, boy,” Fawn soothed. “Easy, boy... that’s right…” 

It stared at them with beady eyes and slowed, clicking its teeth. Tink noticed how tiny Cheese would be if he had stood next to this creature.   
“Fawn, what do we do?” Tink whispered as the rat approached, stalking them. 

“Stay calm…” she answered, her hands up as she stared at the beast. “Just stay…” 

The rat gave a bone-chilling hiss, pouncing on Tinkerbell and pinning her with gnarly, cold paws, its tail lashing. Tink cried out, clawing at the ruthless hands pinning her and kicking as hard as she could. The rat seemed to be mocking them, showing its dented, rotting teeth in a wicked smile. Fawn started pelting the face with the twigs Tinkerbell had dropped, trying to find a pebble or a stone, anything that would cause real pain. 

“Get away from her!” 

The rat tightened its grip, but as it bent down to bite Tink’s neck, a flash of steely talons had wrapped around the rodent. Tink held her breath at the warm, pungent breath of the rat hit her face as it screamed in surprise, before getting lifted into the air. Fawn stared in awe as a massive great horned owl had taken the rat away, gliding into the distance without a sound. Tink lay in shock, her eyes wide as she stared at the moon. 

“Tink? You alright?” Fawn hurried over. 

“I don’t think I’m getting any sleep soon.” 

“Come on, let’s go before more owls come.” 

Fawn pulled Tinkerbell up by her hands and dusted off her back. They flew up into the trees and into a small hole. It led to a small den with a few bugs inside, and they sat down to catch their breaths. Hugging each other, the two friends stay awake in fear, before sleep overpowered them. As the two fairies slept, the silent owls glided by their tree. 

The warm rays of sun crept into their little nook, and Tink awoke slowly, stretching. She felt stiff, and had she been at home, she would have pulled the covers higher and snoozed on. But the discomfort in her body aided her awake, and she gave a long stretch. Fawn felt her moving, and awoke, knees to her chest. 

“I am so tired,” she announced, yawning and standing. 

“Me too,” Tink sighed, looking outside. 

“It looks muggy out, we should hurry.” 

They stretched again, and Tink’s stomach rumbled. 

“Besides, we might be able to find some breakfast.” 

Their flight was rather uneventful, just zooming past trees that grew more and more aged and dying, a sign they were getting closer. They were able to breakfast on blackberries before flying again. They killed the tedium of the trip by saying how much they hated King Thresh and theories of the poisoning in Pixie Hollow, and revenge for the animals, which was mostly on Fawn’s part. The sun drew from morning to the noontime, the shadows slinking past. 

“Do you think it’s a giant fort?” 

“Maybe he has bats as defenses.” 

“You think maybe he can talk to rats?” 

“Shh!” 

They stopped, and Fawn looked around in concentration. Without a sound, she flew down into some shrubs. Tink hurried after her, slightly frustrated but more so confused. Her mixed emotions turned to shock as Fawn was kneeling to an owl, who was giving a very low moan of pain. It had blood dried on its white, proud feathers and was shot down with a heavy net, which was preventing movement. One wing was twisted slightly as it looked like it was struggling for a long time to be free, as its feathers were ruffled and twisted along the heavy ropes of the net. It looked at Fawn with somber eyes and hooted lowly as she stroked the beak which blood had dried upon. 

“Who did this to such a majestic animal?” 

“Fawn?” Tink gasped, pulling at the net. “It’s not just some animal.” 

She pointed numbly to the neck, where the reigns that Lord Milori held countless times lay limply on the white feathers. Fawn gasped and the owl’s eyes seemed to light up. 

“We should lift the net!” 

“Tink,” Fawn said, standing up. “We used a lot of Pixie Dust to get here, by lifting the net we might run out halfway in, and then what?” 

Tinkerbell thought it through. 

“You’re right.” 

“I want to join you, Tink, but leaving this poor, defenseless owl just doesn’t feel right.” 

“You can help him, then,” Tink replied. “And I’ll return here by sundown.” 

“Tink? Be safe.” 

Tinkerbell nodded to Fawn and hovered behind a line of tall grass, jumping at every little sound, expecting an ambush from a Pixie. But none came, and after careful examination, she was completely alone in this section of the forest. She stayed low to the ground, landing heavily in the nearest clump of grass when something sounded nearby. Distance voices caught her attention, and she started to walk towards them, afraid that somehow they would be able to see her despite being far out of line of sight. She started to run, nearing a large clearing with a large oak tree in the middle, which reminded Tinkerbell of another Pixie Tree, one that was for darker purposes. 

She tucked a large leaf around her for an emergency disguise and poked her head through a clump of grass. Her eyes widened as King Thresh was there, wielding a long stick and talking to a very beaten Milori, who was on his knees, his chest pressed against his knees, and his chin was hovering over the dirt. Tinkerbell was confused about why he was in that position but saw that thin, brown vines were binding him down. Several Pixies were watching, sitting on clumps of grass similar to the one Tink is hiding behind, and others were standing closer to the pair. 

“If you hand over the Winter Season,” Thresh said, aggravation in his voice. “I will set you free. Is it that hard?”

“I will never give my season to you,” Lord Milori spat, his breath blowing away the dirt as he craned his neck to look ahead. 

“And remained tied at my mercy?” 

“Better me than all my fairies.” 

King Thresh growled, gripping his stick, and Tinkerbell thought he was going to strike Lord Milori, but instead he tapped it against the palm of his hand while Lord Milori struggled to keep his neck up, sweat dripping down his forehead. 

“That’s it, then,” King Thresh sighed. “I guess I will have to try harder. Take him away, our interrogation is over.” 

A thin Pixie stood there, his hands slowly moving. Tinkerbell immediately recognized it as what a garden fairy does and expected the vines to free Lord Milori. But they didn’t. Even the Pixie looked confused as the vines around Lord Milori’s neck tightened, and his hands that were tied behind his back strained to break free. The Pixie was getting flustered as the choking lord was pulled to his feet, his toes skimming the dirt as he squirmed mutely. Tinkerbell’s startled gaze tore from Lord Milori’s bluing face to his leg coated in blood, tears were in his pants and some spots were dried, while there were fresh, wet spots.   
“King Thresh!” The Pixie shouted, his voice full of alarm. “The plants are disobeying me! He’s going to die!” 

“No, he’s not,” King Thresh purred, turning over and watching Lord Milori’s futile movements with a soft grin. Tinkerbell was about to attack the king herself, but he spoke again that made her falter. “Because I’m controlling it.” 

Lord Milori’s eyes turned to look at the king, his shoulders twitching in an effort to break free. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he twitched, slowing. As Tink rose to fight, Thresh lazily waved his hand and turned away, the vines whipping Lord Milori like a lash and threw him forcefully into a cage made of wood and tied with thorny vines. The momentum rocked the cage, and Lord Milori landed heavily, not getting up. 

“I’m going to bed,” Thresh hissed, flying up to the oak tree. “Take any fairies that come as prisoners. But I don’t think anyone will care enough to come.” 

The Pixie nodded and the others standing bowed. Those sitting flew off, talking to one another. Tinkerbell stared at the injured leader, who laid there unresponsive. Should she dare to try and reach him? There were guards who could easily capture her, and Fawn would- Fawn! Tinkerbell flew as fast as she could to the fallen owl, whose feathers were more clean and stroked in the right direction. His wing was still trapped but he wasn’t struggling anymore. Tink told Fawn exactly what she saw, only stopping when the owl struggled again anytime Tink mentioned Lord Milori. She decided to leave the part of Thresh choking Milori with the vines, for fear that his already aggravated owl would make such a racket that they would be discovered. 

“Do you think we should come back?” Tink asked, looking at the owl. 

“We can’t leave him here,” Fawn defended, petting the beak. 

“We have to tell someone.” 

“It’s turning dusk, Tink. We can’t leave him.” 

“But if we use the rest of our Pixie Dust to fly back-” 

“We don’t have to,” Fawn interrupted. “Trust me.” 

Tink’s lip pulled back in a look of resent but stepped back to allow her friend proper space. Fawn circled above the owl, sprinkling Pixie Dust down onto the net, which lifted off the bird. He immediately hopped to his feet and gave a very avenging sounding hiss. It swiveled his head to the direction Tinkerbell came from and started to run towards it. 

“Wait!” Fawn called out, flying ahead and going right in its face. “Hold up!” 

It gave a loud hoot; both Tink and Fawn jumped, very nervous they would be found. It spread its wings and looked as deadly as it was meant to be.   
“You could hurt Lord Milori!” 

It responded to his name and huffed angrily through his nares. 

“If they find you, they might kill him to prevent him from escaping.” 

His wings lowered along with his feathers. 

“Lord Milori needs help, and we are his help. If you blow our cover, King Thresh will hurt him.” 

His owl gave a low hoot, calming down. 

“Fly us back to Pixie Hollow, and we will help Lord Milori.” 

Fawn and Tink hastily flew onto the owl’s back, and he turned to the direction of Pixie Hollow. Fawn, sitting where Lord Milori would be, stroked his feathers. 

“I understand.” 

He gave a hoot and crouched, jumping into the air and flapped, giving a shrill cry of pain and crashed into the dirt. 

“His wing!” Tink shouted, pointing to the left wing, which had feathers twisted and bent. 

“Poor guy… he must have strained it.” 

A crow cawed nearby. 

“Hide!” Tink gasped, grabbing Fawn by the wrist and tugging her into a mound of mulch. Hiding themselves in the dirt, the fairies saw Pixies clad in insect armor flying on the backs of crows, who started circling the owl. 

“Pixie Dust!” a low, masculine voice called out. “Fairies!” 

“They’re nearby!” a female shouted, as the owl started to attack the Pixies when they approached. “Take it down!” 

The cawing grew louder as crows started to strike the owl, who was beating his wings powerfully but was easily outnumbered. Tink could feel Fawn quivering in anger.   
“Crow group! Find the fairies! The rest, take the owl!” 

White feathers were covered in black, as crows were cackling, pecking, and clawing away at their target. The owl gave a pained cry as a crow pecked the injured wing, drawing fresh blood. 

“We need to help him!” Fawn whispered, obviously worried about the bird. Tink was already pulling her by the wrist, away from the ruckus. 

“We need to get back to Pixie Hollow,” Tink demanded, hurrying into the darkness of the forest. 

“What if his owl dies because I didn’t help him?” 

“They might kill the owl to break you, Fawn,” Tink said in a serious tone. “I heard that he will take us prisoners. And with the shape Lord Milori is in… we won’t be able to last as long as he did.” 

Tink shuddered, imagining herself being strangled by a vine or beaten, and knew she would not be able to compose herself as calmly as he did.   
“He might even kill us. We have to get help. Now.” 

“But what if he doesn’t?” 

Fawn flew to the owl again, but Tink was pulling her back. 

“We’re severely outnumbered!” 

“But we can at least help!” 

“And if we get captured? They could kill us, Fawn.” 

Fawn stared at Tinkerbell. 

“And if we die, no one would help Lord Milori, and Pixie Hollow could be altered drastically. Every fairy could die.” 

Fawn looked at her feet, thinking over the consequences. 

“You’re right. We need to go back to Pixie Hollow.” 

“It just hurts, hearing the owl in so much pain.” 

“I know, Fawn, I know. We just got to get to Pixie Hollow first.” 

A large, calloused hand grabbed both girl’s shoulders, who both gasped. 

“You aren’t going anywhere, fairies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on re-updating this entire story to make it more in depth. But When there's less online courses and more time.


	4. Clever Title

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly forgot I published this story. I wrote this chapter in March of 2019, and haven't worked on it since.  
> I originally wrote this for a child I babysat after watching the films, but she got less interested in Disney Fairies so I have no need to continue as she probably won't read this garbage.  
> This will be the last chapter.   
> Uh, enjoy anyway.

“These are all the plants we were able to collect in one piece, Your Majesty,” Rosetta said, bowing to the queen. There was a shriveled flower, several leafy plants, and one sapling all intact. 

“Thank you, Rosetta,” Queen Clarion said, looking over them. “How many plants have been torn apart when you retrieved them?” 

“Hundreds. Even the most skilled garden fairy had trouble.” 

“Hundreds? Can you tell me how you think this poison is being held?” 

“Possibly by mushrooms,” Rosetta thought. “I have been losing sleep trying to get an answer. But it makes sense that the spores are being spread, and latched onto other plants which die.” 

“How about underground?” 

“That makes sense, too. It would have free range to every plant.” 

Queen Clarion looked at the plants, observing their roots. They were dark and shriveled, scarcely held together. 

“This is not good,” she announced. “Not good at all.” 

Terence burst open the door, panic on his face. 

“I’m sorry for interrupting, Queen Clarion,” Terence gasped. “But something is wrong with the tree.” 

Rosetta tagged behind as Queen Clarion as they flew down the hall, going to where the pool of fairy dust is. There was a large crowd of dust-keepers standing around a spot in the tree. Queen Clarion gasped, shocked at a large, black mark festering on the ground, near the pool. 

“What is this?” 

“We don’t know, your Highness,” Fairy Gary admitted. “We didn’t notice it until it grew this size.” 

“And it is continuing to spread,” Terence said, pointing to a small tendril of darkness flowing through the bark. We think it’s coming from the ground.” 

Queen Clarion’s heart dropped. Of course, the tree would need water to survive, and the water below was poisoned. The tree was dying, and there was nothing they could do. She needed someone to help, but who could stop poison? Her water fairies could help, but the tree consumed so much, and how well would they work when they were already exhausted? 

“Take the Pixie Dust out of the pool. Preserve it, and do not touch this blackness.” 

“Yes, your Queen,” Fairy Gary said as he bowed. He turned to his fairies. “You heard your queen! Everyone on the double!” 

Fairies took off flying, scooping dust in bowls, Terence telling them where to go. 

“Fairy Gary,” Queen Clarion sighed, gliding alongside the dust-keeper. 

“Yes, my queen?” 

“How will we protect all our dust?” 

“We need to stop what’s attacking it. Playing defensive against death will end well for the attacker.” 

“Who can stop poison?” 

“How about King Everlance? Doesn’t he do something with that sort of stuff?” 

“King Everlance, that’s right. Thank you, Fairy Gary. We should be safe.” 

Her heart gave a relieved flutter, but she had to move quickly. With a bright flicker of fairy dust, she was gone. 

Queen Clarion appeared in her room, grabbing a quill and paper. She wasted no time as her personal guard stood waiting for orders. 

\---- 

“Let go of me!” Fawn cried as she and Tinkerbell shoved away two pairs of hands. 

“You aren’t going anywhere, Fairies!” 

Tinkerbell slammed her heel down on one’s foot, elbowing him hard in the chest and felt the grip loosen. She tore herself free and flew into the forest, hearing the flutter of wings behind her. She zigzagged through branches, making sudden dives, and even daring to fly back to confuse her pursuer. 

“Come back here!” he snarled, his voice growing more distant as Tinkerbell pushed her tired body hard into the heart of darkness. Twigs lashed her face and she tore through webs, crashed into leaves, and blurred through bushes. She lost her sense of direction as everything was a blur around her, wind screaming in her ears. Tink gasped as the wind picked up behind her as well, assisting in her path. 

“Woah!” She was too fast to control, crashing into a bush with dark leaves and tore a bird’s nest, smashing her leg into a branch, and heavily tumbling onto the ground. The feeling of speeding coursed through her body and the ground rocked under her, her right shin was bleeding with a nasty cut. She examined her leg. It was definitely going to bruise, but she would be alright. Tinkerbell stood up, the world spinning around her, and she collapsed. 

“Let go of me!” Fawn cried, her arms pinned behind her as she thrashed and kicked, even biting a guard’s arm. 

“Easy, fairy!” He growled. “Do not resist and I will not hurt!” 

“I will not do anything you say!” she spat, planting her feet into the ground. 

“You are a long way from home, fairy. Why are you here?” 

Fawn growled, glaring at him as he walked in front of her. He wore thick insect armor and had a spear. 

“I’m an animal fairy, and I heard that owl in pain.” 

“All the way from Pixie Hollow?” 

Fawn gasped as the grip she hardly noticed on her wrists tightened. She tried to flap her wings, but they were pinned by her arms. 

“What do you want with me?” 

“An answer,” he said neutrally as he started walking to a large oak tree, and Fawn stared at it as they approached. They walked past it, and Fawn was more confused. 

“You won’t get anything from me.” 

“I know that,” he scoffed, walking to a large, hollow log with a small entrance built into it. Fawn felt the warm, dank air hit her as they entered. It was lit up inside with small torches aligned on the walls. Fawn gasped, surely the flames would be a hazard inside a log. 

As if her thoughts had spoken, the guard laughed. 

“It’s too damp inside to create any forest fires. And we created small holes in the top to vent any smoke out.” 

Fawn looked up, and sure enough, there were tiny chinks of rising moonlight in the log’s ceiling. 

“Good,” a young, harsh male voice hissed in the corner. “I knew someone was coming.” 

Fawn glared at the speaker, who was a young-looking sparrow man who was wearing leaves like Redleaf, except his leaves were brown and he had pants rather than a robe. He did not wear any headdress but had a thin crown of vines around his head. 

“King Everlance?...” Fawn asked skeptically. 

“No!” He barked, his voice absorbed by the soft mulch. “Not Everlance! I am King Thresh!” 

“King Thresh?” 

“Are you thick? King Everlance died and I’m now king.” 

“What do you want from me?” 

“I want the Winter Season. I want to rule all of Pixie Hollow, but I must start small. And I need a single snowflake to start a blizzard.” 

“I’m not a Winter fairy,” Fawn began. 

“I know that,” Thresh sighed, walking over to her and grabbing her chin. “He is.” 

He wrenched her head to force her to look at the corner, causing her to pull a muscle in her neck. Fawn’s eyes widened as Lord Milori was shackled by vines, slumped over and breathing slowly. Her breathing started to increase and her heart was starting to pound in her ribcage. Was Thresh going to do the same to her? How long was Lord Milori stuck here? 

“What is he doing here?” Fawn asked quietly, walking over. She was stopped by the vines restraining her hands and started to pull to the lord, straining as her feet sank into the soft mulch. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” King Thresh lulled, watching amusedly. 

“I don’t care what you do to me! He needs help!” 

King Thresh knew that was exactly what he would have said if he was Fawn, and Lord Milori was King Everlance. He would have done anything for the king. His heart ached and he replaced his hurt with anger, hardening his heart. He looked to Wolfgang, who raised his spear and nodded. Wolfgang gripped his spear, and Fawn clenched her eyes shut, ready to be impaled in the ribs. Nothing came, and Lord Milori awoke with a cry of pain. 

“Stop!” Fawn shot her eyes open as the guard who was next to her was thrusting his spear into Lord Milori’s leg, blood was gushing out and the lord thrashed against his restraints, sweat forming on his brow and running down his face. Fawn noticed how his pale complexion was slightly pink; the heat must be getting to him. 

“He’s awake,” Wolfgang announced. 

“Perfect,” King Thresh whispered, walking over to the two Pixie Hollow residents. Fawn did her best to stand between Thresh and Milori, despite the vines holding her back. 

“Keep her aside,” Thresh drawled, and Fawn was forced to the ground, the vines gluing her to the mulch. 

Lord Milori stood, and Fawn saw how terrifying the two looked in the cruel torchlight, shadows standing harsh against their bodies. Their eyes were emitting a glow, and the smell of blood grew stronger the more Milori moved. 

“Give me the Winter Season, and I won’t hurt her.” 

“Even if I gave you my season no one would believe in what you say.” 

“I know that. Which is why I’m bringing you, and you will announce to all of Pixie Hollow that you fully surrender all of the Winter Season over to me.” 

“King Thresh,” Lord Milori hissed. “You are not designed for the cold. Your wings would freeze and snap. You would not be able to fly.” 

King Thresh went silent. 

“I will find a way. Kill the girl.” 

“No!” Lord Milori barked. “Do not touch her!” 

“Then decide! You have one second!” 

Wolfgang raised the spear to Fawn’s throat, who gasped. 

“Please, don’t!” she begged. 

“King Thresh!” A young female messenger shouted from the entrance. “A letter from Queen Clarion!” 

“Queen Clarion?” Everyone asked in unison. Fawn asked in hope, Lord Milori in longing, Thresh in anger, and Wolfgang in fear. 

“Yes, your Highness,” the messenger said in an unreadable tone. “A bird sent it over, it seems urgent.” 

“Urgent?” King Thresh hurried over and snatched the paper. His eyes scanned over it. “Oh, this is too good. But how do I not mess this up?” 

Fawn looked at Lord Milori, who stared at King Thresh, glaring. 

“She needs King Everlance’s help,” Thresh scoffed. “But instead she will get mine. Bring the girl, I’ll negotiate with the queen.” 

\--- 

“Ministers, thank you all for coming,” Queen Clarion said. “If anyone can help us during this trying time is King Everlance. He would know what is happening.” 

“It is our duty to do whatever it takes to help Pixie Hollow,” Redleaf replied. 

“Yes, and we can show King Everlance what is wrong in our seasons,” Hyacinth spoke up. “He can help purify the seasons before summer is delivered.” 

“There is hope after all!” Sunflower smiled, the tensions lifting. 

“Now we must be patient and wait for the king,” Queen Clarion said, watching the moon slowly sink across the horizon. 

\----- 

Tinkerbell slowly stood up, the sun was not even up as the sky around her was dark, stars were sparkling in the distance. The grass rustled around her animal cries were echoing through the land. She knew how much danger she was in, how exposed she was. If a rat came along, the fairy would have been easily gobbled up. 

Where am I? Was her initial thought, as she stepped forward her leg throbbed, and looking down Tinkerbell saw a horrible purple bruise under a blanket of scratches. It hurt to walk on, and she took to the skies, flying to the tree branches. 

“Fawn?” Tinkerbell whispered as everything that happened surged through her memory, the small tussle, the crows, the flying, and a very painful crash. Fawn was at her side during the flight... was she? 

“Fawn where are you?” Tinkerbell called out, her voice louder. 

A bug flew by, but the forest was noisy with animal chitters despite them being a fair distance away. 

“Fawn!” Tink cupped her hands and started to fly, worried now. She had to retrace her steps, that was the most logical factor to finding her friend. She crashed into a bush, and Tinkerbell easily spotted it. 

“If the branches of the nest are on this side of the bush…” Tink mumbled to herself as she hovered down and walked to the snapped twigs. “Then I was flying from the other side.” 

She opened her wings, bent her legs, and stood in that position. 

How much fair dust do I have left? Should I fly to Fawn and risk it? Or should I fly back to Pixie Hollow to ensure I have enough? Do I even have enough in general? Where even is Pixie Hollow? 

Tink launched herself into the sky, and flew past the tree branches and past the treetops, the air becoming remarkably windier the higher she went. 

“Where is…” Tink asked herself, making her hand into a visor as she squinted, rotating in the air. “...ah-ha. It’s far, though…” 

Right where the sun was breaching the horizon, Pixie Hollow stood at the size of a pinhead, the iconic tree glowing from the sunbeams. Turning around, Tinkerbell saw that the Outerlands was right under her feet, and the capital was a long flight away, but, in perspective, right next to Tinkerbell compared to Pixie Hollow. 

She gave a sigh and ran a hand down her tired face.

The lack of animals near the area was discomforting to Tinkerbell as she flew herself to the heart of the Outerlands, as only an occasional crow would sound off in the distance. She did not realize how charming the forest back home was, with songbirds and bunnies and even the cubs were gentle in nature. 

Tinkerbell’s thoughts were continually brought up with memories as she came closer to the border of the capital. She remembered when Zarina gave up her pirating ways and returned to Pixie Hollow. When Gruff saved her from a falling tree, and how he would stay asleep until the comet came again. When Terence helped her build a staff. She remembered when she felt useless as a tinkerer and managed to fix what she destroyed. But that was when she and Vidia bumped heads, now, they bumped heads but in a softer manner. 

She reached the ground and landed behind a withering bush, her thoughts cleared as her focus was directed to avoiding being seen. Any rustle, twig snap, or wing flap sent her diving under a blanket of dried leaves. 

“There has got to be a better way to do this,” Tinkerbell hissed to herself. “I just need a brown leaf… a good vine and aha…” 

She dug around for what she needed and had wrapped a flexible brown leaf around her green dress, using a thin vine to become a belt. She made it slightly longer to hide the green and was even contemplating if she should make a hat as she was fitting on her makeshift shoes. 

A crow flying overhead made her hustle up, discarding her halfway made hat and stumbling into her new shoes. She tried to act as naturally as possible, wondering if she should even take off her iconic green dress, in case she somehow exposed any part of it. A trickle of sweat made her realize how stressed she had become, and Tinkerbell forced herself to take a deep breath. 

I must relax, they’ll spot me out in seconds acting like this. 

“Hey, pixie. What are you doing?” 

Tinkerbell looked around, locating the source of the voice. A pixie of a smaller stature stood several feet away, waving to her. Tinkerbell waved back and threw the most casual smile she could play. 

“Hey! Sorry, I was looking for berries!” Tinkerbell lied, walking over. 

“Berries?” The pixie scoffed, smiling. “They are on the other side of the tree. Everyone knows that.” 

“Oh… well, I was looking for some new ones, you know, a fresher source of food.” 

“If you wish,” the Pixie laughed, walking past dried shrubs and towards the heart of the Outerlands: the large oak tree. “I never met you before, I’m Sasha.” 

“Oh, I am Tinke-” Tinkerbell didn’t think of a disguised name; Tinkerbell would be a screaming neon flag just asking to be found. “I am Tink.” 

“Tink?” 

“Yeah… It’s my name.” 

“Sounds kinda weird.” 

“Well, It’s more of a nickname, I simply don’t like my real name.” 

Fortunately, Sasha didn’t push the issue longer, and Tinkerbell looked at her as they were nearing. Sasha was slightly shorter than Tinkerbell, her head reaching Tink’s chin. Her hair was short and black, and she was wearing a leaf top and pants, with a miniskirt to match. It reminded her of Fawn’s outfit. 

“What do you need me to do?” Tink asked, wary of Fawn in possible jeopardy. 

“King Thresh is leaving, and the owl is acting up. I was going to ask Kodi but I think he left with the king.” 

“The owl?” 

Sasha cast Tink a suspicious glance, and Tink shifted from curious to pretending to be intelligent of the Outerlands. 

“Lord Milori’s owl,” Tink recovered, rolling her eyes and hoping the act would work. “I just thought it was too weak to act up again. You know, after what the crows did to it.” 

It just occurred to Tinkerbell that she didn’t know the actual gender of the bird, and, as she never studied them, could not tell the difference just by sight. 

“Well, when King Thresh dragged that wretched fairy back, she snuck in and started to help the owl, but good thing she was caught.” 

“Yeah,” Tink nodded, her stomach tightened at the thought of how close Fawn was to escaping. 

“You are good with animals?” Sasha asked, eyeing Tink again. Tinkerbell felt like Sasha was already figuring out what was going on, and shrugged nonchalantly. 

“I’m alright.” 

The two were approaching the oak tree, and Tinkerbell followed the pixie, looking up at the polypores that wound up the trunk. To her surprise, however, Sasha passed the mushroom steps and went behind the tree. She could hear the fluttering of wings. 

Fully approaching the back of the tree was a hole wide enough for animals; it was the size of a barn. Tink peaked inside and saw Milori’s owl, trapped under a heavy net. 

“There you are, Sasha!” a husky sparrow man panted. “I sent for the owner to tame the stupid bird. Took you long enough!” 

“Calm down, Titus,” she defended. “I wasn’t gone long. Besides, you know how I’m not good with birds. Anyway, I brought someone who might. This is Tink.” 

“Tink?” 

Tinkerbell nodded. 

“Hmm. Alright. M’names Titus and the stupid bird won’t calm down. Bit Maximus hard, he nearly lost an arm.” 

Tinkerbell looked around while Titus talked, the owl was comparably small in the tree, trapped under a net and chirping shrilly, blood had covered the feathers from the crow attack, and soft down was sprinkled around the floor. 

“We were going to use nightshade powder,” Titus said. “But we are almost out and decided to use it in case of an emergency.” 

“That’s a good idea,” Sasha chimed. “Tink, you’re up.” 

The inside of the tree was getting progressively darker, and Tinkerbell turned to the entrance to see a large sheet of bark was slowly lowering like a curtain, shutting them all inside. Curious, Tink looked around and saw small levers and pulleys lined against the wall, carefully designed to lift such a heavy object with ease. She felt herself stumble as someone pushed her from behind. 

“I said you’re up!” 

“Sorry!” 

Tinkerbell approached the bird who was struggling frantically against the restraints, holding her hands up slightly in a weak way to calm it. The pixies stepped back, watching. 

“Hey, easy!” Tinkerbell called, waving her hands. She only calmed down Cheese once, and that was the most animal taming she ever did. Something told her she needed a different tactic. “It’ll be ok!” 

It stared intimidatingly at Tink, huffing through its nares and standing tall, the net keeping it to the ground. He recognized her, she was the one who left with Periwinkle and came back with Periwinkle. She and her friends crossed the border, he remembered Tinkerbell for that. Circling the sky, waiting for their return with Milori on his back, and they did return, eventually. They flew during the Winter blizzard, and she was there at the tree, he remembered. Landing on a branch, he watched as her broken wings were healed because her sister had the matching wing patterns. How convenient. He saw her countless times in the Winter Season, and last night, she mentioned Lord Milori being here. She helped calm him, and they had to leave. At first, he felt anger that he was alone to battle the crows but seeing her return helped him understand what she was doing. 

“Easy, girl…” 

He gave a very disgruntled hoot. 

“Easy, boy...” 

He ruffled his feathers and glared at her. 

“Wow,” Titus mumbled. “You have a way with animals.” 

Sasha nodded, impressed. 

“I got the owl rider, Sasha!” A pixie called out from the entrance. Tinkerbell turned along with the other two, and a door was created from the sheet of bark, a clever way to keep animals in while pixies could come and go as they pleased. Her fascination with how the door was designed was squashed with a very nauseating stomach churn. A very large pixie was walking Lord Milori in, his hands were behind his back and he was glaring at the ground. The pixie did not let go, and Tinkerbell stopped herself from running over. The owl gave a loud hoot, and Milori looked at his bird with pained longing. 

“I don’t think we need him anymore, Vance,” Sasha said, walking over and looking up to the pixie. “This pixie calmed him down quick! She’s good!” 

Vance and Milori looked at Tinkerbell, who quickly revealed herself with a small wave. 

“You tamed the owl?” Vance asked. Tink and Milori stared at each other, her eyes were wide and his expression was unreadable before his brow crinkled in concern. 

“How good are you with fairies?” Sasha asked Tink. 

“Fairies?” Tink asked, trying to sound curious about them as if she was not one herself. 

“Yes, genius, fairies,” Luna sighed. 

“I don’t know, I hardly saw one,” Tink lied, looking Milori up and down with a passive expression, but her heart was pounding. 

“Good point.” 

The snowy owl began to cry out again, and Milori tugged against Vance’s grip. 

“Just let me see him,” Milori snarled, sweat dripping down his face. Tink could see dark purple circles under his eyes. 

“Hey, aren’t there two fairies?” Tink casually inquired, hoping that three would be able to escape the Outerlands. 

“Don’t you know anything?” Titus huffed, wielding a sharp staff that looked similar to Nyx’s. 

“Hey,” Tink rebuffed, crossing her arms. “I was out searching for food.” 

“We’re going to get Pixie Hollow!” Sasha cheered. 

“You are not!” Milori barked, struggling. 

“Silence!” Titus pointed his weapon at Milori’s chest; Tink flinched and blushed, hoping no one noticed her movement. 

“That Queen Clarion will eventually find out she’s outmatched, outnumbered, and outsmarted. Soon, she will be forced to surrender to us.” 

Tink was forced to nod and smile as she started to feel sick. 

“You will never have Pixie Hollow!” Milori growled, baring his teeth. Vance let out a yowl and stepped back, his hands were encased with ice and it was spreading up his wrists. 

“Why you little-” 

Lord Milori broke into a run to his owl, his leg shaking from the pain with each step and his owl gave a screech, trying to flap its wings under the net. 

Tinkerbell watched in horror as Titus ran while swinging his spear, clubbing Milori in the stomach with it. Sasha ran over to Titus’s side, tackling Milori to the ground while his owl shrieked furiously, biting at the net. 

“Help us, Tink!” Sasha barked, pressing down on Milori to prevent him from running again. 

Tinkerbell ran over, grabbing Milori’s shoulder, while Titus had to use himself as a blockage to prevent Vance from mauling the Lord of Winter. While Sasha was haphazardly pushing Milori to his feet, Tink did her best to appear unsympathetic, shaking him every now and then and spitting threats in his ear. She felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable doing this and wanted anything to be gone from the musty place. They slipped through the door and into the morning light, Milori sporadically resisting, but Tink could tell how weak he was by the little efforts he made to fight back. She could feel how warm he was becoming, and she herself was sweating from the sheer nerves. 

They took some time to walk away from the massive oak tree and through a vast clearing of dirt. Tinkerbell noticed they were approaching a large log with footprints coming and leaving the entryway 

“I got to admit, you make me a little suspicious, Tink.” 

“I do?” Tinkerbell asked as they entered the dark log, looking around then to Milori and Sasha with a questioning look. 

“You’re acting. I can tell.” 

Tinkerbell opened her mouth in detesting but the pixie continued to speak. 

“I think you’re a fairy since I have never seen you before and blonde hair is uncommon here.” 

“I am not a fairy!” Tink lied as they tossed Milori to the ground. 

“Are you now? Then why did you handle him so gently? He is an enemy!” 

“Can’t you see the shape he is already in?” Tink reasoned. “We do want him alive for king Thresh! If he finds out that we killed Lord Milori, he can’t reason with Queen Clarion in handing over Pixie Hollow. If he dies, the Winter fairies will rebel and there is no sure chance you can gain Winter.” 

“Hmmm… maybe you are a pixie. No one but a select few knows his plan. But I want you to prove it to me fully.” 

“What?” Tinkerbell asked as Sasha held up a stick. Tinkerbell did not notice her grabbing one and assumed it was left on the ground where they were standing. 

“Fairies deserve to die for their stubborn selfishness, whack some sense into them.” 

“You’re implying that I-” Tink pointed to herself. 

“Fairies are gentle creatures, and I know they would never hurt each other. Show him how a pixie needs to be respected.” 

\------------- 

Fairy Mary rested her chin in her arms as she watched the horizon while listening to the ministers and Queen Clarion talk inside. 

“I can maybe move Summer to the Mainlands now,” Sunflower pondered. 

“I can do the best with what we have to keep Fall to come in enough time,” Redleaf added, the ministers looking at him. 

“Ministers,” the queen said. “There is hope to come with the arrival of King Thresh.” 

“I hope he comes quickly,” Hyacinth mumbled. 

“We must be patient,” Queen Clarion continued. “We may lose Pixie Hollow if he does not come.” 

“Look!” Fairy Mary pointed to the horizon and Queen Clarion hurried over. Her heart rose and a smile formed on her face as she saw the outline of a bird in the distance. 

“It’s-” Queen Clarion felt her heart lift and her wings fluttered softly in joy. 

“King Thresh!” Fairy Mary finished, pointing to the bird that, as it was coming closer, was a large crow. They could see a rider on the back. Queen Clarion’s hope bubble popped as the ministers gathered around the window to look. 

“He finally came!” Hyacinth huffed. “Springtime Square has been suffering too much by now.” 

“But now Summer can be brought to the Mainland!” 

Queen Clarion frowned, thinking. 

“Perhaps I should have invited Snowflake here so she can know what is going on.” 

“She’s too busy taking care of the Winter season, besides, her wings would not last.” 

“Very true,” Clarion sighed. How long has it been? She thought, mumbling to herself. “Four days and three nights…” 

“What?” Fairy Mary asked, looking at Clarion. 

“Oh, uh… nothing.” 

Fairy Mary cast a knowing look but said nothing in respect to the queen’s already distressed state. 

“Why do you think he brought a crow?” Redleaf asked. “Is he that far from us?” 

“He does have both working wings, so maybe it’s for appearance? He is royalty after all.” 

“Wait,” Sunflower interjected. “I think someone is with him.” 

Clarion’s heart rose again in foolish hope, knowing that it was far from who she was longing for. 

“It better not be somehow Tinkerbell,” Fairy Mary sighed. “That hyper missy just has been disappearing lately. I saw her yesterday flying around and she’s been gone since.” 

“That is odd…” Queen Clarion sighed, thoughtful. 

“That is not King Everlance!” Redleaf exclaimed, leaning out the window. Everyone crowded around, watching as a young male was on the crow soaring to them. 

“And Fawn!” Clarion gasped as the crow landed on a perch, staring around with jerky head movements. 

“Good heavens!” Fairy Mary gasped. “She’s tied up!” 

Hyacinth gasped in shock. 

Thresh grabbed a gagged and bound Fawn scooping her up and flinging her over his shoulder as he walked to the room the queen and ministers were in. 

Clarion glared as she approached the king. 

“Release her now!” 

“I’m sorry, your Majesty,” King Thresh smirked. “It’s just a fairy.” 

“You will not handle my fairies this way,” Queen Clarion glared. “Let her go.” 

“That’s no way to talk to a king, your Majesty,” King Thresh sighed, rolling his eyes. 

“You are no king,” Queen Clarion defended, Redleaf at her side. 

“I sure am, lady,” Thresh said, pointing to his crown. “Everlance died five days ago. Yeah, it’s still pretty painful. But obviously, you didn’t know.” 

He held up Queen Clarion’s letter where they could see the former king’s name. 

“Hand over my fairy,” the queen demanded. Fawn was unusually still, but Clarion could see she was hardly breathing. 

“You got to keep better track of your fairies, your Majesty, like, seriously.” 

“Set her down! Now!” Redleaf spoke on the queen’s behalf, anger rang in his voice. 

“I hear you have a poison problem here,” King Thresh lulled, smiling gently. “Perhaps I should get rid of it for you?” 

The ministers glanced at each other while Queen Clarion glared at the king. 

“First,” she ordered. “Let my fairy go.” 

“I think I might keep her, actually.” 

“You will do no such thing.” 

“I think it’s fair. Give me something of yours and I remove what’s rightfully mine.” 

“You placed your poison here, King Thresh,” Queen Clarion said sternly. “And I hereby order you to return my fairy and remove your poison.” 

“And if I don’t?” 

“Then there will be a very ugly war,” Queen Clarion said. “And I will know who will win.” 

“You know who the winner of an unpredictable war but do you know where Lord Milori is?” 

Redleaf noticed Queen Clarion falter and stepped up to king Thresh. 

“You heard her! Remove the poison!” 

“Well I can’t remove it exactly,” he replied with full honesty. “There’s too much of it here. I’ll need to go get my pixies to help.” 

“You’ll come right back?” 

“With help.” 

He threw Fawn off his shoulder and she fell heavily on the ground with a muffled grunt. The ministers swarmed her, pulling at the vines that were keeping her immobile. 

“I will be here tomorrow,” Thresh said as he walked out the door. “With help, of course.” 

Hyacinth managed to tear off the gag, and Fawn struggled to speak. Heavy, dark bags were under her eyes and her lips were slightly tinted blue. The vines were clearly making it difficult to breathe. 

“Did he hurt you, Fawn?” Redleaf asked as he tore the vines apart. Fawn just trembled, looking around with scared eyes. There were marks across her body where the vines bruised her, while cuts ran across her arms. She just sat there, fear in her eyes, and Redleaf gently held his hand down to her which she accepted gingerly. He could feel her trembling as he helped her up. 

“H-he wants Pixie H-Hollow to be his,” Fawn stuttered, her knees buckling before falling over, which, fortunately, Redleaf caught her. “He p-plans on taking over.” 

“We are aware of that,” Queen Clarion gently, looking at the disturbed Fawn. “You should get some rest, dear.” 

“T- Tink!” Fawn gasped. “She was with me! She flew into the forest… is she here?” 

The ministers looked at Fawn then to each other with concerned glances. 

“Oh, dear,” Fairy Mary soothed, hovering over to Fawn. “Let’s get you washed up and rested. You’ve been through too much.” 

Fawn was trembling and jumped when Fairy Mary gently touched her shoulder. 

“Oh, dear,” Clarion whispered, hovering over. “What did they do to you?” 

Fawn felt herself getting picked up and instantly curled up, crying softly. Her wings looked crumpled from rough handling, and there were a few blood stains on her clothes. She had not slept the entire time she was there, and the fatigue was heavy on her eyes. 

“I’ll guide her to the healing fairies,” Fairy Mary said softly. 

Fawn felt warm and safe as she was taken out of the Pixie Tree and to the healers. 

\-------- 

Tinkerbell held the stick tightly, looking down at Lord Milori. She could not bring herself to beat him and felt tears threaten to run down her face. 

“Go on, pixie,” Luna urged. “Strike him.” 

Lord Milori stared at Tinkerbell as he rose slowly, glaring at them both. 

“You pixies better give this up,” he said, looking down at Tinkerbell, who watched with wide eyes. “There is no point to this losing war.” 

“You froze my friend’s hands!” 

Tinkerbell stared at the stick, unable to look anyone in the eyes. 

“I will not let that tyrant usurp Queen Clarion! You must know what is at risk here!” 

The stick was torn out of Tinkerbell’s hands, cutting her palms. 

“Hey-!” She cried as Sasha raised the stick over her head. As she brought it down, Lord Milori caught it with his left hand. Using his right, he slammed his palm into her stomach, a cold chill filled the room as Luna’s stomach froze, spreading down her legs and up her arms. She gave a screech and shattered the thin veil of ice before Milori grabbed her arm tightly forcing it to drop the stick which fell noiselessly to the mulch. Tink watched in shock as the pixie was encased in a frost, then a thick wall of ice covered her entire body in seconds. 

Lord Milori swayed, falling over and breathing deeply. Tinkerbell could tell that took a lot out of him, and rushed over to his side. 

“Lord Milori-” she began, grabbing his arm with both hands to pull him up to his feet. His skin felt tepid and she could tell he needed to be cold. 

“Tinkerbell,” he said in a commanding voice. “Go back to Pixie Hollow.” 

“But Lord Milori,” Tinkerbell began. “We need to get you back.” 

“And I’ll be back,” he reassured. “But you are already in danger.” 

“We all are. That’s why we need you back at Pixie Hollow. Queen Clarion is-” 

“Safe?” 

“For now, but King Thresh is already attacking. We need help.” 

“Tinkerbell,” Lord Milori said, placing a hand on Tinkerbell’s shoulder. His hands felt warm, and he looked like he was on the verge of keeling over. “I need you to keep Clarion safe. I will escape. But I will not put you through any more risks. They already took Fawn.” 

“Fawn was here? Is she safe?” 

He was silent, his lips pressed together. 

“She is now. Go home, Tinkerbell. Tell Queen Clarion everything.” 

Tinkerbell nodded and felt Lord Milori’s hand slide off her shoulder. She couldn’t seem to make herself move, her feet stood planted in the mulch as she felt scared. What would happen if she didn’t make it to Pixie Hollow in time? What if she was spotted? How can the Lord of Winter refuse to go to those who needed him? To Queen Clarion? 

“I can’t leave you here.” 

“Yes, you can.” 

“But-” 

“I can’t fly, Tinkerbell,” Lord Milori sounded annoyed at this point. “But you can. Even if we broke my owl free he wouldn’t be able to fly. We’re outnumbered, and I am relying on you to return to Pixie Hollow.” 

“If we take a crow-” 

“It will not fly with me on its back.” 

“But-” 

“Tinkerbell.” he placed his hand on her shoulder shaking her gently. “It will be ok.” 

Tinkerbell looked at him then nodded. 

“Ok.” 

She turned and ran out of the log, flying away. She could tell her pixie dust was low since she could only hover several feet off the ground. Tinkerbell looked around, if the Winter Forest had an owlery, surely, there had to be a place to train the crows. It was not hard to find, the loud birds were noisily talking amongst each other in a bare tree. She flew up to the lowest branches before her wings gave out, fluttering rapidly as she clawed the limb, gripping hard on a knot and pulling herself up. The crows were watching, laughing in deep caws. 

“Oh, hush,” Tinkerbell sighed, balancing herself and walking over to a crow perched on the end of the branch. It eyed her before she placed her hands on the feathery neck, hoisting herself up onto its back on a saddle designed for holding weapons. She gripped the reins and whipped them, the bird leaned and Tink lurched forward before it launched into the sky. 

She tugged the reins to steer the bird in the direction of Pixie Hollow, looking behind at the large oak tree, and the small decaying log before focusing ahead. 

\------ 

“How is she?” Queen Clarion asked as Fairy Mary returned, dusting off her hands. 

“A bit shook up, dear,” Fairy Mary sighed. “But with some rest and healing, she’ll do just fine.” 

“What should we do about the pixie dust?” Clarion asked as they hovered down the hallway watching fairies frantically fill bags of pixie dust from the reservoir. 

“Well, it’s only the black one that’s infected, yes?” 

“The whole tree is dying, and there is nothing we can do.” 

“What can we do? We can try using our gardening fairies to help.” 

“King Thresh better have his word.” 

Fairy Mary nodded, looking at the dark spot on the floor. “You don’t suppose we should relocate?” 

“There is no other place to go. I wish…” 

“Wish what?” 

“He was back. Together we can think of something for the better of Pixie Hollow.” 

“You’re not worried about just the tree dying, are you, Queen Clarion?” Fairy Mary didn’t sound accusatory or judgemental, she sounded just like a concerned friend. 

“I know I need to be focused on the main problem here, but my mind keeps wandering.” 

“I’m sure the winter fairies are doing their best looking for him right now.” 

Queen Clarion sighed quietly from her nose and closed her eyes. Fairy Mary noticed and said nothing, looking up at her friend. 

“Why don’t we write Snowflake a letter? Just see how things are going and how we may be able to help?” 

Clarion nodded and glided to her room, picking up a quill and started to write, her eyes hazed. Fairy Mary knew her mind was elsewhere and decided to leave her friend for some alone time as she examined the spot on the floor. 

Perhaps a relocation could happen. Fairy camp! It was perfect! If Sunflower could send Summer to the Mainlands, the fairies could spend their time there, and Thresh and his pixies could remove the poison without any interference. They come back, Pixie Hollow would be purified, and Queen Clarion could make amends with King Thresh. Fairy Mary smiled inwardly at her idea and decided to pitch it with the queen. 

\------- 

King Thresh arrived at the Outerlands as the moon was at its highest, his crow flying to the oak tree. A pixie flew up to the king, concerned. 

“Your Majesty!” he gasped, quite out of breath. “One of our pixies! Luna! She’s frozen solid!” 

“Frozen?” Thresh asked, tugging the reigns and causing his bird to dip drastically. “How bad is it?” 

“Very bad, your Highness. He also froze Vance’s arms.” 

The crow landed outside the log and Thresh slipped off. 

“He froze Vance’s arms too?” 

“Yes, sir. We almost decided to let Vance kill him once we thawed his arms out, but we decided to let you decide the punishment.” 

“Let me see first,” Thresh huffed as they entered the musty log. Six pixies were pointing porcupine quill spears at Milori, three on the left side of Sasha, three on the right. Lord Milori did not seem afraid, he instead looked completely exhausted standing there with his hands tied behind his back. Thresh ran over to Sasha, her body frozen in a stretching position. 

“Lord Milori,” King Thresh began. “I will not tolerate this. I knew it was a matter of time before you lashed out.” 

“I lashed-” Milori began in shock then his voice turned to a dark hiss. “King Thresh, I will stop at nothing to keep the fairies safe from you, if you-” 

“I’m sorry for being so rude,” Thresh interrupted, folding his arms. “But I know exactly what I’m going to do to you.” 

The guards looked at Thresh who flicked his hand, and the vines around Lord Milori’s wrists tightened, tugging along the ground and forcing Lord Milori to walk. The strain on his wounded leg was unbearable, and he had to clench his teeth against the pain. 

“King Thresh,” Lord Milori growled as they left the log, focusing on freezing the veins that were tight against his wrists. 

“Lord Milori,” Thresh answered. “I got to be honest, your voice is tiring to listen to.” 

The vines around Milori’s wrists snapped from the sudden freeze, and Milori lunged towards the king. 

“Woah!” King Thresh was caught off guard as Milori wrestled him to the ground, the two men kicking up dirt and clawing at whatever they could. Thresh could feel the humid air around them drop in temperature and knew he was about to get frozen. He raised his hand suddenly, and a thin, willowy root rose from the ground and into Thresh’s palm. Milori did not need to touch Thresh to freeze him, the cold trapped Thresh, and frost started to form on his clothes, spreading like fire on his body. Thresh had seconds, and tore the root from the ground and lashed it like a whip, snaring Milori’s hand in a tight hold. He gave a shrill whistle, and crows from a nesting tree cackled back, flying down. Lord Milori was not going to let these crows or Thresh end his life, and he would not surrender to a backstabbing killer. 

He froze the whip with ease, and it snapped immediately under the strain. Talons wrapped around his shoulders and lifted him into the sky, but he was not going to let that end him. He gripped the scaley feet and closed his eyes, focusing on freezing the bird. Frost covered the talons and traveled up the legs, the crow releasing him in pained shock, kicking frantically to rid the ice. Lord Milori fell, fortunately, he was not far from the ground and landed gracefully on his left leg, breaking the impact with his hands. He dug his hands into the dirt and rose quickly, flinging the dirt at Thresh. He flexed his fingers, and shards of ice formed on the clumps of dirt, turning into hail that crashed painfully against the king. Thresh raised his hands, and roots shot from the ground and wrapped around Milori’s ankles, keeping him stuck to the ground. 

King Thresh scoffed, commanding the vines to make Milori lose his footing; they tugged his ankles forward and Milori fell backward, aiming his palm at Thresh, who ducked just in time. The tree behind him frosted over, and the bark creaked loudly from the cold. Thresh’s eyes glazed over and he moved his hands, causing roots to snare Milori’s body, wrapping around his chest, arms, and neck. They tugged him firmly against the ground, and Lord Milori was rendered helpless, glaring at the king who was walking over, pulling a satchel from his hip and dug his hands inside the contents, pulling out a fistful of purple sand. 

“What-” Lord Milori began but was interrupted as a cloud of purple surrounded his face, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut. He refused to breathe but gave in as his lungs started to burn, his mind going foggy but from the lack of air or the powder, he could not tell. He opened his eyes and looked at Thresh, but that was all he remembered before the world went from purple to black. 

“There we go,” Thresh sighed, sticking two fingers in his mouth and giving a shrill whistle, to which a large crow responded. It flew down and landed next to Thresh, who was busy lifting Lord Milori over his shoulder. “I will be sure to have Queen Clarion never find him, or his body, too.” 

Thresh lifted the incapacitated Milori on the crow’s back before mounting himself. Pulling the reins, the crow launched into the air and disappeared into the clouds.


End file.
